Character and ruthlessness so far lacking in Sheffield Steelers

The coach happily acknowledges he has been supported 100 percent by the club's backroom - there are currently 17 imports on the books when you can only dress 14 on match nights.

Yet Thursday's home defeat by Guildford Flames brought up some issues, new and old, that still remain to be addressed.

His side has scored 10 goals in the last four games, a modest amount that has seen them lose twice, albeit both in overtime.

More damningly was Fox's criticism of his team in the later stages of the 3-4 midweek loss, where they shed their sharpness and focus.

He said his power play units let the team down by taking their collective foot off the gas - that lack of execution "sucking the life" out of the Arena.

For the third time since the season began, he accused his largely new team of being outworked.

"We had guys standing still who didn't want the puck," he said, wondering openly why there was no pace through the neutral zone when they need it most.

He is now assessing his personnel options with his team heading towards the notoriously awkward surrounds of Manchester Storm on Saturday night, a rival no doubt supercharged by the signing of Anthony DeLuca.

Changing Steelers' "stale" power play would perhaps be his immediate choice, while in the longer term he will be hoping that Mason Mitchell can come in from his rehabilitation and make an impact.

Fox excused new signing Danny Kristo from any blame for Thursday's overtime loss.

He'd only stepped off a plane 24 hours before the face-off, and will improve once he has absorbed his new surroundings and the technical systems.

But the team, generally, has yet to live up to his billing - one member of the group has called some of their recent performances as "vanilla."

On the other hand, Sheffield dropped a single point on the back of some curious refereeing.

Brendon Connolly had been ploughed into the end boards, but the officials allowed play to go on...a session in which Guildford put away the winner.

Connolly complained without success and then took out his frustration by smashing his stick in half over the goal bar.

Fox believes calls are made against Connolly because of his reputation - and not awarded when he is the victim, for precisely the same reason.

That is a serious accusation and one the EIHL should look at.

Recent calls against Matt Petgrave have also angered the coach.

However, the fact remains the team needs to show more character and ruthlessness - and it would be a relief to see Martin Latal, Daniel Ciampini, Connolly, and Adam Raska turn their undoubted conviction into goals.

Thursday's thrilling first period had been almost too quick to watch, with both sides going end to end.

Sheffield took the lead in 59 seconds, Scott Allen thundering a shot off the bar after Sheffield forced a turnover.

If anything, Flames' reply was even more spectacular, Ian McNulty shooting with such precision that Matt Greenfield had no chance.

Steelers forged ahead courtesy of another breathtaking goal, Petgrave skating in from the left wing and backhanding around Eamon McAdam for 2-1.

Tomas Pitule, who was outmuscling all around him, added another five minutes later.

It seemed to be going well.

Guildford hadn't reached the pinnacle of the division for nothing though and they reduced the deficit through Steelers'old boy Ben O'Connor.

Brandon McNally broke clear in the final minutes but his pass to Scott Allen failed to deliver the insurance a two-goal lead would have brought.

Instead, Sheffield were caught flatfooted at the back with Peter Crinella making it 3-3.

Steelers lost their mettle.

And the controversial winner by Bradley Lalonde in overtime meant maximum points for Guildford.