Greg Chambers netted his first goal for the Invicta Dynamos as they took on the Chelmsford Chieftains at the Riverside on Sunday but it proved no more than a consolation as his team were beaten 5-1 in the NIHL South Division 1 and English Challenge Cup match-up.
GregChambers_banner_210914The Dynamos travelled to Essex on the back of a thumping 12-4 win over the Streatham Redskins the night before but they would find the going much tougher the other side of the Thames as the Chieftains created many of the early chances.
Having killed off a tripping penalty to Daniel Hammond the hosts then took the lead at 12.43 with Hammond the man to tally beyond Chris Douglas against the side he played for just last season – assists going to Matt Turner and Lukas Zapotek.
Chelmsford could have doubled their edge immediately after as Martin Piecha escaped on a breakaway but netminder Douglas shut the door to keep the Mos just one behind after 20 minutes.
In the second period a high sticks minor to Steve Osman presented the Chieftains with a chance to add to their slender advantage and they duly took it at 25.40 – John Connolly and James Ayling involved in the build-up before Martin Piecha slotted in for 2-0.
A succession of penalties to the home side then gave the Dynamos an opportunity to hit back but they were unable to make the most of an interference call on Michael Ranby, an elbows minor to Ross Brears and a and a trip to the box for Ryan Giles for delaying the game.
As a result the teams returned to the changing rooms with Chelmsford two to the good and the Mos still yet to tally.
In the final period the visitors needed to respond quickly if they were to take anything from the clash but the Chieftains were still ensuring Chris Douglas was the busier of the two netminders and they would beat him at 50.13 to make it 3-0.
Matt Turner was again involved as he and Darren Brown claimed assists when Ross Brears fired in beyond Douglas for what looked to be a decisive strike.
Things then went from bad to worse for the Dynamos when captain Anthony Leone was chucked from the tie with a match penalty for slashing – a call that would later be reduced to a game penalty allowing him to avoid the one fixture suspension.
Leone’s marching orders put his side down a man for five minutes and so when Andy Smith followed on a boarding minor, the visitors were left trying to kill a 5-on-3 and Chelmsford made the difference count. Julian Smith teed up Darren Brown for the finish that gave the Chieftains an insurmountable 4-0 lead.
At 58.47 it was then five – Ryan Giles claiming an assist against his former team with a pass that allowed Lukas Zapotek to round off the convincing win with a shot beyond a beleaguered Chris Douglas.
However, with time winding down, the Mos did muster a consolation to blot the perfect copy book of Chelmsford goalie Euan King – Callum Fowler and Andy Smith involved in the play as Greg Chambers notched his first for the Mos to cut the deficit to 5-1.
So it was defeat in Essex for the Dynamos and a defeat that will count towards both their league and English Challenge Cup campaign. It was disappointment for sure but Head Coach Kevin Parrish will now be moving his focus to the upcoming weekend when Billy and Charlie Phillips both return from their suspensions to give him a full roster for the first time in 2014/15.
Man of the match honours went to Matt Turner for the victors whilst Greg Chambers took the honours for the Mos.
Picture supplied by Grant Woolway