After a brief rest at Ohrid, Alexios I left the survivors of his army there with Gregorios Pakourianos and withdrew to the Vardar to assemble new mercenaries. He then returned to the attack, using iron caltrops to try to defeat the Norman cavalry. He scattered caltrops on the battlefield at the point where he expected the charge. The Byzantine cavalry were to fight so as to avoid the caltrops, leaving the confused Normans to be cut down by archers. But Bohemond got wind of the plan. He fought defensively at the point where the caltrops were, but made cavalry charges on the flanks. The Byzantine forces, by now demoralised, fled, only the emperor making stiff resistance till he decided the battle was lost and it was too dangerous to continue. Though pursued by Bohemond and his chief counts, he secured his retreat by a brief counter-attack with Goules, which laid low the first pursuer and discouraged the whole pursuit. He left Pakourianos in charge, and returned to the capital to bring more troops