Four goals in a man of the match performance from Callum Best, alongside a hat-trick from Canadian Justin Noble, doubles from Ryan Giles and Andy Smith and a single from Callum Fowler, saw the Invicta Dynamos hammer the Slough ENL Jets 12-1 in Gillingham on Saturday evening.
The Jets arrived in Kent shortbenched but held out until the seventh minute when Justin Noble gave the hosts the lead with a speculative shot from the left boards that eluded netminder Ryan Bainborough at his near post. It was then two moments later when Ryan Giles converted a rebound on the back stick, following a Callum Fowler drive, and Callum Best tallied the third by converting on a 2-on-1 counter up the ice.
Having notched three in the first, the Dynamos then added another six without reply in the second to lead 9-0 with forty minutes played. Justin Noble made it 4-0 as he slotted in from close right, Andy Smith added a fifth with a poke goalwards from right in front and Callum Best drove over the shoulder of Ryan Bainborough from between the faceoff circles for number six.
Lee Freeman was then given more ice time as he replaced Andy Moffat in the Dynamos’ net and the ENL Jets made a goalkeeping change of their own soon after when Best again found the target with a wrist shot just inside the left post. Alec Field would fare little better in net however with Ryan Giles beating him to make it 8-0, with another rebound goal, and Justin Noble completing his hat-trick before the buzzer with a venomous effort from close range.
In the final period the Dynamos continued to dominate and the in form Best took his personal tally to four with another high wrist shot to put the hosts into double figures. Andy Smith then made it 11-0 from in front of the crease before Callum Fowler’s one-timer from close left crossed the line having clipped the inside of the back stick for twelve.
Having struggled to make an impact in attack all game, the ENL Jets then brought the evening to a close by breaking their duck as Carl Thompson capitalised on a defensive lapse to make the most of a 3-on-1 counter and prevent the shutout.
So it was a routine victory for the Dynamos who comfortably dispatched a Slough side short on numbers to secure the two league points. The hosts dominated the tie and had 61 shots on net whilst a combination of Andy Moffat and Lee Freeman faced a combined 33 in reply.
Man of the match awards on the night went to Erik Knizat of Slough whilst Callum Best’s four goals and two assists saw him secure the honours for the hosts.
Picture by David Trevallion