MANCHESTER Phoenix’s cup-winning dream was put on hold last night – for another week at least.

Tony Hand’s men lost an epic Challenge Cup final in Belfast going down 3-1 on the night and 6-5 on aggregate.

But these two teams will start all over again next week in the final of the British Knockout Cup in Altrincham on Sunday and in the Northern Ireland capital on Thursday.

Phoenix coach Tony Hand said he was proud of his leg-weary players: “We are very disappointed because the guys worked so hard and after six periods of hockey over the two games there was only one goal in it.

“We’ve played five times in seven nights and have five guys on antibiotics and we’ve taken it to the last few minutes against one of the best teams in the league and we deserve credit for that.

“We’ve had to regroup after going two goals down in the first period and it worked. We levelled the tie but unfortunately they got the breakaway goal at the end.

“It hurts to lose this Cup Final but we start again against them on Sunday and hopefully that will be payback time.”

Last night’s nail-biting encounter was in the balance until the last few minutes.

The game was all square with the seconds ticking away when Belfast broke away on a short-handed attack and Mike Burgoyne scored the killer goal.

He had the luck of the Irish on St Patrick’s Night because he did not actually get his stick on the shot – the momentum of the puck carrying it past Phoenix net-minder Stephen Murphy to break the hearts of the travelling Phoenix fans.

 But it was a gargantuan effort by the Phoenix ,who found incredible reserves of energy in what was their fifth game in seven nights – a ridiculous schedule.

They Phoenix started off with a couple of early chances which fell to Bruce Mulherin but they made little impression on Stevie Lyle in the Belfast goal.

But seven minutes in, the home side Belfast struck – levelling the scores on aggregate when Paul Deniset squeezed the puck past Stephen Murphy for a power play goal.

And ten minutes later they were in front for the first time in the tie.

Brett Clouthier had just come out of the penalty box when Belfast swept down the huge ice surface for player-coach Steve Thornton to score.

It was vital Phoenix clawed their way back into the game in the second period and they threatened to do so when shots from Luke Boothroyd, Kenton Smith and Lucas Burnett called Lyle into action.

 But they were struggling to break down the Belfast defence, squandering two power play opportunities with hardly a shot on goal.

However with 33 minutes played their persistence paid off when Tony Hand slotted home from close range from Clouthier’s pass.

Belfast rallied and it took a couple of smart saves from Murphy and the benefit of the goal pipe to keep the teams level at the second break.

Both teams had chances in the final period but it did not help Phoenix when Bruce Mulherin was given a 2+10 penalty for cross-checking. And as Phoenix went all-out for the winner it was Belfast who counter-attacked to take the spoils.

Phoenix are back in Elite League action tomorrow (Thursday) when Hull Stingrays are the visitors to Altrincham.