Canadian Justin Noble found the target four times on Sunday evening to lead the Invicta Dynamos to a resounding 10-2 NIHL South Division 1 victory over league basement boys Solent & Gosport in Gillingham and secure their first points in the competition for three weeks.

With Andy Smith, namesake Tim, Harrison Lillis and Callum Fowler all missing from the Dynamos line-up, the hosts were slow to get going following the puck drop and initially looked disjointed. A match penalty to Will Francis for high sticks gave the home side a five minute powerplay but they were toothless in attack with unthreatening shots from the blue line the best they could muster.

However, no sooner had the spell on the man advantage come to an end, had the hosts got their act together as they broke the deadlock seven minutes from time to make it 1-0. From the left channel, Justin Noble fired the puck across the crease where a waiting Anthony Leone was only too happy to dispatch goalwards with a one-timer beyond Christian Cole. Moments later Arran Strawson was then seated in the box on a slashing call, and Solent made their powerplay count with Mitchell Murray finding Kevin Tanner right in front from behind the net – Tanner drilling beyond debutant Glen Jackson to make it 1-1.

Despite their lead disappearing, the Dynamos were undeterred and they bossed the remaining minutes of the frame, netting three times in the process for a commanding 4-1 advantage. Anthony Leone doubled up to make it 2-1, when he poked Callum Best’s centring pass from the left channel beyond the netminder at his near post, and Justin Noble made it 3-1 on the powerplay as he buried a rebound from close range following Anthony Lennon’s parried effort from back on the blue line. The Canadian would then add another 30 seconds from time as he followed up Anthony Leone’s blocked breakaway drive with a smart finish that saw him tuck between the legs of Christian Cole despite having his back to the goal.

Comfortably ahead at the close of the first, the Dynamos then put the game to bed early in the second with two goals in the opening two minutes. A holding penalty on Kristopher Abbott allowed ‘import’ Peter Vaisanen the space to skip in from the right boards and lash a shot high into the top near corner of the net from an acute angle to make it 5-1.

Moments later and fellow countryman Justin Noble then completed his hat-trick as he latched on to a long diagonal from back on the blue line by Anthony Leone to convert beyond Christian Cole from just inside the right circle. Now 6-1 behind, Gosport were at risk of falling out of sight but they struck back within 30 seconds to retain a faint interest in the tie. Kent Johnson carried the play down the left channel, picked out Mitchell Murray in the left circle who sent the puck towards the back stick where the on-rushing Kieran Perella fired in.

The visitors’ strike merely acted as brief rest bite however, as the Dynamos continued to enjoy the better of the play and fired in three more before the buzzer. Midway through, Arran Strawson added his name to the growing list of scorers when Joe Bliss’ pass from the right corner found him racing to the edge of the crease where he converted through the legs of Christian Cole for 7-2.

The hosts were then given a powerplay when, having already lost their player/coach in the opening period, Solent alternate captain Andrew Goddard tripped Strawson in front of net for a two minute minor and then decided it would be to his benefit to argue the decision with the officials. His backchat earned him two misconduct penalties and the skater was keen to confront Arran Strawson through the plexi on his way back to the changing room.

When play finally restarted the Dynamos made use of the extra man when Justin Noble found Jack Tarczycki inside the left circle and he controlled before lashing back across net and into the roof of the target for 8-2. That would become 9-2 before the break as Noble again claimed an assists – this time teeing up Nicky Lewis just left of the target who sent the puck just inside the near post for his fourth of the season.

With the tie all but over at the start of the last, the home side were able to ease off in the third but they still added another when a roughing minor on George Norcliffe gave them a powerplay. Fittingly star performer Justin Noble claimed the goal that put the Dynamos into double figures when Sam Cheema’s blue line drive was given up for the rebound – a rebound that the Canadian slotted low into the left corner of the target from between the circles to make it 10-2.

That strike, four minutes into the period, would prove to be the last of the night as, despite generating numerous scoring opportunities, the hosts failed to add to their lead. Anthony Leone spurned several excellent chances to complete his hat-trick whilst Nicky Lewis thundered the puck off of the post with time winding down.

So it was an emphatic 10-2 win for the Dynamos who eventually made light of a team that has previously limited the likes of Chelmsford, Romford and Wightlink to single goal victories. Justin Noble’s seven point haul meant that he was at the heart of everything good but blue liner Tom Avery would take the man of the match awards for the hosts. Netminder Christian Cole took the honours for the visitors after a number of excellent saves during a sixty minute onslaught on his goal.

Picture by David Trevallion