The Invicta Dynamos put in an heroic performance but were beaten by league leaders Peterborough Phantoms on penalty shots on Sunday night.

Having failed to be separated by sixty minutes of normal time and a further five minutes of overtime, it was the visitors that took the two points with a 1-0 penalty shot win after the game ended 2-2.

With Steve Osman back at the club and Jaroslav Cesky making his home debut, the Dynamos looked much stronger on paper than they have for some time, but were still without the servives of Harrison Lillis, Tom Long and Justin Robinson.

Despite the trio being missing, they were able to welcome back forward Mason Webster from injury, allowing Head Coach Kevin Parrish to ice three strong looking lines.

With Damien King in goal for the Dynamos and brother Euan between the pipes for the Phantoms, it looked like it was going to be a fast and frenetic game and the fans weren’t to be disappointed.

End to end action was how the game started and the first goal came in the seventh minute as Cesky danced down the ice, set free by Tommy Ralph and after some jinking, managed to dispatch his shot past Euan King.

The Dynamos had their chances to double their lead, but failed to do so and at the other end, Damien King was beaten only for the goal frame to deny Ales Padelek.

It was the Phantoms that scored next, getting the equaliser in the 18th minute, Damien King denying Scott Robson’s blue line drive, but Glenn Billing was on hand to turn home.

Three minutes into the second period and the Dynamos were in front once again, Scott Bailey rounding off a great move involving Callum Fowler.

Again it was end to end action as both teams pushed for another goal, Brandon Webster denied by the bar at one end, whilst at the other end, the Phantoms saw a strike come back off the frame of the goal.

At 2-1 up going into the final frame, the Dynamos knew they would face sustained pressure from the Phantoms and that saw the visitors level again in the 54th minute, Darius Pliskausas turning home from close range.

The Dynamos can count themselves fortunate to hang on to take the game to overtime as Peterborough pushed for a winner, but it was to overtime and that five minutes also failed to find the all important goal.

So to penalty shots it was. Callum Fowler saw his saved by Euan King, Griffiths failed to get his shot off to miss for the Phantoms, Cesky then had his shot saved by Euan King.

Brother Damien was then beaten by Pliskauskas and when Ashley Jackson’s shot was saved by Euan, that was that.

The record books will show that the Phantoms took both points, whilst the Dynamos will take one.

What they won’t show is how close the Dynamos ran the league leaders with a performance of heart, desire and passion.

With just five games left to play before the Christmas break, the Dynamos will hope to pick up more crucial league points starting with a trip to Swindon Wildcats on Saturday night before entertaining bottom of the league side Cardiff Fire on Sunday evening.