Invicta Dynamos express regret after clashes between fans and players halt game
KENT ice hockey club Invicta Dynamos has expressed its regret at the abandonment of last night's game against Cardiff Devils following clashes between fans and players.
The fixture at the Silver Blades Ice Rink in Gillingham was halted following a number of confrontations between the visiting side and home fans in the crowd.
In a statement posted on the club website this morning, the organisation restated its commitment to providing a safe environment for hockey at its Medway home.
"The Invicta Dynamos' first clash of a double header weekend was abandoned in the 35th minute on Saturday evening after a number of on and off ice issues saw the Cardiff ENL Devils unwilling to complete the tie," the statement reads.
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"The club must now await the decision of the EIHA with regards to the outcome of the fixture.
"The Invicta Dynamos are committed to making hockey in Gillingham a family friendly environment and cannot condone the involvement of fans in any action against the visiting team."
Following the incident the club are liaising with the English Ice Hockey Association (EIHA).
Invicta Dynamos director Jackie Mason said on Monday: "We have been advised by the EIHA today that the incidents at Saturday's game are under review it would therefore be inappropriate to comment at this time."
One supporter inside the venue, who spoke to This is Kent on condition of anonymity, described the scenes as "the most disgusting game of ice hockey" he had ever witnessed.
The fan said: "When the main incident occurred I noticed three Dynamo supporters who were shouting at the Devils players as they exited the ice, and started making threats towards them.
"One of the three supporters went crazy and started trying to charge towards the Devils players. He was later restrained and told to leave the club.
"In defence of the Devils, if anyone questions stick use by the Devils players, the only stick use I saw was to push the supporters away from attacking them."
However, equally, it is unacceptable for players or staff to react to any provocation, especially in a dangerous manner that involves the use of their hockey stick."
The trouble at the English National League game began midway through the second period when, following an on-ice fight, Cardiff player David Sadler's return to the away bench was followed by an altercation with a fan which, in the words of the home team, "escalated beyond a reasonable level".
This incident forced the delay of the game while a section of the stand behind the Welsh team's bench was cleared.
Minutes later violence flared up again, with both sides being dispatched to their dressing rooms following a 10-man 'line brawl' involving players from both teams. The Cardiff team then refused to return to the ice and as a result the match was abandoned.
On its website the club said: "The Invicta Dynamos regret the unsatisfactory conclusion of the fixture for both fans and players alike and will make a further statement when the EIHA have confirmed their decision on the outcome of the tie."
Were you at the game in Gillingham last night? Do you have pictures or video of the events inside the Silver Blades Ice Rink? Then email rhys.griffiths@northcliffedigital.co.uk or tweet @rhysdgriffiths.
Comments
by howardmcs
Tuesday, December 20 2011, 12:18PM
“i never thought that ice hockey could arouse such passion, you've certainly stirred up a hornet's nest rhys.”
by hockeymum1
Tuesday, December 20 2011, 10:23AM
“Mr Gryffiths,
If the stick was just used to keep Invicta fans at bay (as per your recent report from someone who was there).....then can someone please explain why one of the Invicta fans who was involved in "said incident" was rushed to A&E with cuts and concussion?”
by lorezskyline
Monday, December 19 2011, 11:39AM
“Rhys I am afraid we will have to agree to disagree a story based on one anon source from the game and the Dynamos twitter feed is not a balanced story. Neither the Dynamos or the Devils will be allowed to comment before the league carry our their investigation. I feel this article is damaging to both the club and fans reputations without any valid source as well as making no mention of some poor behaviour by several Devils players. I cant say the Devils players instigated the trouble but they certainly provoked and did not help the situation.”
by RhysGriffiths
Monday, December 19 2011, 4:53AM
“This story is not based on one source. It is a follow-up piece which balances the views of a spectator present at the match with a response from the Dynamos to the events of Saturday night. I originally reported the news of the abandonment in a separate piece on Saturday evening in which, despite attempts to contact both the home and away teams directly, I was only able to quote as an official source the Dynamos Twitter feed. I believe the lazy journalist would not have bothered, as I have above, to write a second story putting the full view of the Dynamos organisation.”
by lorezskyline
Sunday, December 18 2011, 11:17PM
“Firstly a whole article that brings fans and club into disrepute on the basis of one 'annomous source'?? Sloppy journalism get your facts right first it certainly wasn't all one way the Cardiff players certainly were trying to provoke a reaction both on and off the ice.
Cant say anything about the incident by the penalty box but I was in attendance but behind the Cardiff goal in the period in question and this article fails to make note of the four letter verbal abuse the cardiff goalie hurled at the crowd well before this incident took place. Not to mention the inappropriate hand gestures etc. Also the abuse of staff and fans by the Cardiff team in general, from the look of the guy behind the penalty box he was a typical Gillingham Chav but from the abuse that was hurled at us I dont doubt that the Cardiff players may well have provoked a reaction. I did hear that the cardiff players squirted the crowd with water true or not I dont know.
After all this took place the referee asked the players to leave the ice for the zamboni to come onto the ice, only for the cardiff players to crowd around and offer to fight the zamboni driver! Not to mention another torrent of four letter abuse from the cardiff players towards all members of the crowd.
All in all a bad night for the sport but dont blame it all on the fans as I have never seen such a bunch of provocative hockey goons as the Cardiff side that came to town last night, they and in particular the netminder are a disgrace to the sport. I have never hurled abuse or sworn at a player as they play a tough sport for very little money but last night I certainly felt like giving some of it back to the obnoxious rude and unsportsmanlike cardiff netminder.”
by yousayisay
Sunday, December 18 2011, 9:53PM
“@rhysgriffiths not my words but how true.....
As for Kent on Sunday, I think I spelt that correctly, the guy is obviously sensationalising something he knows nothing about as he wasnt there, and has taken a tweet, from a Cardiff fan who also wasnt there, and made a story out of it. Great job Rhys Griffiths, as a reporter you should be ashamed to have done absolutely no research and are obviously too lazy to do your job professionaly. Pathetic!
@leela789.... how can you comment if you was not close enough to witness all that whent on like the cardiff player throwing water all over the fans starting the arguments?????”
by leela789
Sunday, December 18 2011, 2:26PM
“I was there last night too, and I am prone to agree with your comments. The "friendly rivalry" on ice was one thing, but unfortunately it was the fans who made it into what it became. I witnessed the "stick incident" (albeit at a distance) and I too believe it was not intended as an aggressive gesture - although one cannot condone the use of one's hockey equipment against anyone, least of all an unpadded spectator. Nevertheless, it seemed to me the fan in question and a small group of others were demonstrating overt aggressive behaviour towards the visiting players and doing this hanging into the Visitors pen area thereby in effect cornering them.”