Invicta Dynamos 4

Chelmsford Chieftains 5

KEVIN Parrish's outnumbered 14-man squad produced a brave battle, but ultimately slipped to a narrow defeat on Sunday.

Home fans at the Silver Blades Ice Rink could have been forgiven for fearing the worst when the visitors took a 1-0 lead inside 21 seconds when Alan Green won the race with Peter Beerling before firing in a low shot beyond the outstretched leg of netminder Andy Moffat.

Invicta were all square by the break, however, as Justin Noble countered down the right channel before dispatching a pinpoint wrist effort over the shoulder of Chieftains keeper David Wride.

The two sides exchanged chances in the second period but it took until seven minutes from the hooter for the scoreboard to be altered.

Grant Baxter put the hosts ahead with a back stick shot, following a pass from Ryan Ellis, only for Chelmsford to quickly square the scores through player-coach Gary Clarke, who beat the netminder with a neat one-timer.

The Dynamos took a 3-2 lead ahead of the break when Andy Smith's drilled shot from the left boards caught the glove of David Wride but still found the target behind him to provide the home side with a slender edge.

Chelmsford pulled level with a powerplay goal from Michael Ranby at point blank range and they then looked to be on their way to the two points when Danny Hammond fired them in front with a one-timer from between the face-off circles.

However, the Dynamos refused to lie down and they got back on terms midway through the period when Peter Beerling unleashed a venomous slapshot from the blue line that found the roof of the net to make it 4-4.

The Chieftains claimed the points, though, when with five minutes left Tom Avery's long drive deflected perfectly for Jakub Klima to convert from close left to seal the win.

Invicta Junior Dynamos 4

Streatham Scorpions 2

THE Junior Dynamos always looked on this as one of the tougher fixtures of the season since both sides, along with Milton Keynes, are widely tipped to fill the top three places.

It was a relief to the JD's, then, when after just three minutes they went ahead when Jack Lee superbly tipped a Bailey Wootton shot past the impressive Streatham netminder. The good start continued when just over three minutes later Ryan Nicholls hit a well-placed shot into the corner, following some good work by Haydn Wootton.

It was 2-0 at the break and the home youngsters looked to be in charge. And with former Streatham player Jack Jackson in top form between the pipes the scoreline remained unchanged throughout the second session.

The JD's piled on the pressure in the third and with less than 10 minutes left Taylor Wootton lifted the puck over the Streatham netminder after a great pass by brother Bailey.

Haydn Wootton coolly made it 4-0 following a good passing move by his two brothers and while a couple of errors let Streatham put two markers on to the scoreboard, the margin of defeat flattered them

Invicta Dynamites 7

Lee Valley Lions 2

IT WAS a must-win game for the Dynamites, really, but as the Lions have proved over the last few years they are never an easy team to play and with ambitions of their own there was every reason to expect this tussle to be close and exciting.

The game started at a high tempo and it was the determined home team who had the best of the early stages, but the Lions held out and made some counter attacks of their own. Netminder Jamie May made five saves and Lions' goaltender six, but their bar and post were also peppered as the Invicta youngsters gained a slight edge.

The team talk for coaches was to keep playing the same way and the break will come!

They were right, since a rebound fell to Lucy Gruber and she fired the puck in unassisted on 22.34.

With the barrier broken it was time to take advantage and skipper Haydn Wootton hit an unassisted goal on 26.08 to consolidate the advantage while his team was shorthanded.

There was still a lot of work to do in the third session and no room for complacency, but once Taylor Wootton struck number three with a sweet breakaway goal on 32.29 (also shorthanded) and Joe Stephenson fired in a blue line screamer on 34.07, assisted Alix Deviell, it was pretty much game over.

Lee Valley mustered a reply at 34.51 and bagged another on 38.12 but Invicta's big players stepped up to the plate to ensure there would be no great recovery.

James Laming nailed a perfectly set up goal orchestrated by Charlie Walter and Jake Stedman on 38.23, Taylor Wootton grabbed his second unassisted goal at 39.38 and Laming wrapped it up at 42.36.