Lee Esders scored his first goal of the season against Sheffield (Pic: A Foster)

Hull Stingrays coach Rick Strachan refused to be downbeat about the result despite their 5-2 Elite League defeat at home to Sheffield.

Jason Kostadine and Lee Esders goals were not enough against the side from South Yorkshire.

Strachan told BBC Radio Humberside: "We competed and that's all I could have asked from my team.

"We were four men down and three imports down and the boys were tired but we'll have a full bench soon."

The Steelers led 3-0 at the first interval through goals from Jason Hewitt, Doug Sheppard and Jonathan Phillips. But, from then on, the Rays were far more competitive.

Kostadine pulled a goal back for the home side on the powerplay before Sheffield went 5-1 up as Ashley Tait and Robert Dowd posted further markers for the visitors.

But the Stingrays had the final word when 19-year-old Esders notched his first goal of the season with a short-handed play after solid work from centreman Jeff Glowa.

"It hurts you when they have bigger numbers on the bench than you do," said Strachan. "But the guys put in a solid performance and we are working on getting in some fresh guys for next weekend."