Invicta Dynamos fan Lee Allen looks back at the first week of the season in his exclusive blog.
Tuesday 15th September
I suppose I could call this the start to my season. The family season tickets have arrived and this morning I agree to have Arran Strawson as my lodger for a while…..albeit I arranged with Kevin Parrish it will be starting from this Thursday, but after some messages from Arran I agree he can come tonight so he can make training. Now that’s agreed, I best tell the wife…!
During the morning I put together my contributions to this weekend’s match day programme. It’s only three bits which include a write-up on the away team, Twitter comments and an interview with former captain Karl Lennon.
It’s now just gone 9pm and I meet the media team of Paul Bennett and Steve Wolfe at the rink. Whilst my intention is to watch the training and show Arran the way home, I jump at the opportunity to sit in the background whilst Steve interviews Kevin with Paul filming behind the camera. Kevin clearly has belief in his new younger roster and pace and effort are strong signals coming out of this interview.
Today is also the first training day for the recently arrived Ondrej Zosiak and Eriks Ozollapa. First impressions show these are fine athletes, big and powerful. Ondrej is a bit quiet and shy, whereas Eriks comes across the complete opposite, with his English better than the Scots and Yorkshire men in our squad.
This training session was a little hard for me to keep up with, there are so many new faces including players who are yet to be announced. Dmitri Rodin is also at training, taking up his new role of Assistant Coach. For part of the session Dmitri takes all defensive players to one side for their own defensive training, allowing Kevin to work with the forwards.
During the training session Paul Bennett is again at the camera, recording from different angles whilst also playing around with cameras positioned above and behind each goal – if this pays-off, Dynamos TV will be even stronger than it currently is, and that’s saying something.
Training finishes at around midnight, Arran is ready to come home at around 12:30am, after a quick show of the house and a few “do’s and don’ts” its bed time for me.
Thursday 17th September
It’s a day away from work for me, so I agree to go for a run with my new lodger. Despite the banter and accusations that are sometimes aimed at Arran Strawson for being unfit, he easily completes a four mile run, which included a last half mile sprint to beat me – I must improve on that.
With Friday being another day away from work due to annual leave I take the opportunity to go to another training session tonight with my wife Nicola. As we enter the rink the players and staff are shut away for a team meeting before the start of training. As I look through the windows you can see Kevin laying down his expectations for the season.
On the ice, the focus is mainly aimed at Sunday’s game as the lines are set and they go through various drills. Training ends with penalty shot practice carried out in good humour.
Saturday 19th September
No game today, but a 7:30am text from Jackie Mason confirming the new player shirts have not arrived gets me wading through my wardrobe to see what player home shirts I had from last season. Luckily my family have Baxter, Dewey and McGill shirts and a couple of friends can help with a McNicoll shirt and if needed, a Cooke shirt.
Saturday 20th September
Game Day!
I arrive at the rink at 3:35pm and handover my shirts for the game. As the crowds start to build-up there are more and more faces to speak to and the wait for the doors to open soon arrives. Jackie gives the stewards the thumbs-up and I’m first through the door and race over to take my seat near the player’s tunnel to watch the warm-up.
During the first period the Dynamos look a bit rusty despite taking the lead through captain Nicky Lewis on what was also his 100th goal for the Dynamos. Bracknell levelled through Daniel Hughes and then edged into a lead through Brandon Miles goal. A debut goal from the hardworking Jacob Ranson pulled Invicta back to 2-2 before Conor Redmond put Invicta back in the lead. However, just before the end of the first period Ryan Handisides made it 3-3.
The second period was a tighter affair with Dynamos going close through Jacob Ranson and Eriks Ozollapa before Bailey Wootton put the puck through the legs of his marker to go in on goal and fire the Dynamos into a 4-3 lead.
It wasn’t until 47.46 when the Dynamos would score next –a penalty shot by Eriks Ozollapa to make it 5-3………so that’s why they were practising penalty shots on Thursday night! Bracknell scored again on 48.24 through Daniel Hughes to pull them to only a goal behind. Eriks Ozollapa showed what skill he could bring this season on 51:00 with a clever deke before lashing the puck high into the top far corner for 6-4. At 54.39 Andy Henderson completed the scoring for a 7-4 victory.
The sour point of the night was a disclosed shoulder injury to veteran Grant Baxter. Grant was dressed and watching-on from near to where I sit during the third period and he said he was fine, so hopefully that means he won’t be away too long.
I ghosted Steve Wolfe during his audio interview with Kevin Parrish and Nicky Lewis and it was clear from the dressing room we were in that the players were in very good spirits. Yes, there will be highs and lows during the season – that’s ice hockey, but it’s a good start.
My evening ends with a walk around the bar area handing out forms for the fans so they can feature in my match day programme interviews.
Monday 21st September
My programme contributions get sent over to Jackie. This week is similar to last week with a page on the London Raiders, Twitter comments and an interview with Anthony Lennon. At home, Arran works out how to turn the TV on and has also found the Xbox and Wii…….there could be some gaming nights to be had soon.