Andy Smith’s last gasp goal at 59.59 saw the Invicta Dynamos secure a morale boosting 4-4 draw at home against the Wightlink Raiders on Sunday evening as his side picked up their first points in the Southeast Trophy.

Coming into the tie on the back of a disappointing 6-3 home defeat at the hands of Cardiff NIHL Devils the week before, the Dynamos would have been dispatched to the ice with the aim making amends and producing a performance capable of silencing their critics. However, the opening four minutes would have done little to distract their detractors as they conceded twice to give themselves an uphill battle from the off.

Goalie David Wride endured a miserable start as he allowed Niall Bound’s weak wrist shot from the right side of the blue line to sneak between his pads and his near post and over the line to put the visitors 1-0 up. Just moments later and the netminder was again being tested, as Jeremy Cornish’s drive from wide left forced him into a save, but he could only parry into the path of the onrushing Corey Watkins who skilfully flicked high into the target from an acute angle for the 2-0 edge.

However, far from letting their heads drop, the hosts looked to battle back and they halved their deficit in the sixth minute to the relief of the home crowd. Andy Smith’s pass from the left side of the net found Peter Vaisanen racing to the inside edge of the left circle and he coolly rifled over the reach of shot stopper Matt Colclough to make it 2-1.

Hot on the heels of the Dynamos’ answering goal, netminder David Wride was switched for Andy Moffat with the summer signing from Chelmsford already having had, and set to have, much better days. Moffat was then able to watch as the hosts fought on and eventually restored parity with six minutes remaining in the frame. Justin Noble battled well to retain possession in the left corner, despite the attention of two Raiders’ defenceman, and he picked out Callum Best all alone in front who had time to gather, control and then pick his spot to the top left of the target for 2-2.

At the start of the second period both sides initially saw their luck in front of net fade as Craig Tribe’s attempt at a back post finish for the visitors found the upright whilst Nicky Lewis struck the bar down the other end of the ice with a skilfully lofted backhand. Nevertheless, goals would follow and, once again, it was the Raiders who started the better with another quick double.

In the fourth minute, Jiri Hanzal’s attempt from close left rebounded to Daniel Pye right in front and the blue liner swiftly fired beyond a grounded Andy Moffat for the 3-2 lead. When Tim Smith was then called for tripping, the visitors made effective use of the extra man as a relentless goalmouth scramble was eventually brought to an end with the Raiders claiming their fourth. Daniel Pye and Jeremy Cornish were both denied at point blank range by Andy Moffat but the goalie was powerless to prevent Alex Murray following up for a two goal edge.

Moffat was then in the thick of the action again soon after, as Craig Tribe’s late poke in an attempt to free the puck from his grasp caught the shot stopper and sparked a response from Canadian Justin Noble. With Tribe’s endeavours to claim possession seeing him slip to the floor, Noble jumped on top of the Raiders’ forward and sought retribution for the late slash to his goalie. The result was a Dynamos’ powerplay but they failed to take advantage and would later finish the period having to kill a prolonged spell of 5-on-3.

Facing a two goal deficit going into the last, the hosts needed to show some fight if they were to get back into the tie and ‘import’ Peter Vaisanen took the demand literally as he scrapped with enforcer Jeremy Cornish. Having been felled by Corey Watkins after the whistle, the Canadian looked to challenge the Raiders’ agitator only for player/coach Cornish to step in and take the lead in the brawl.

Vaisanen bravely threw punches and gave a good account of himself but the height advantage and experience of his opponent meant Cornish never looked uncomfortable and eventually secured the takedown.

When play restarted, the Dynamos continued to flounder in front of goal with visiting netminder Matt Colclough never looking sufficiently troubled and his side set to coast to a victory secured by a solid defence as opposed to a spectacular attack. However, three minutes from time, that outcome was put in doubt as Andy Smith’s foray down the left channel ended with a pass to the left circle that the onrushing Peter Vaisanen flashed beyond Colclough with a one-timer slapshot into the top corner.

The Canadian’s strike cut the deficit to 4-3 but time was still against the hosts who looked condemned to a third straight defeat after another largely flat display. Just one goal can make a huge difference in hockey though and, as the visitors lost Craig Tribe to a penalty and the Dynamos pulled Andy Moffat for the extra forward, the chance for that late strike would come following a faceoff in the final third with just six seconds remaining. Callum Best won the puck, Jack Tarczycki tried his luck from distance, Best followed up from close left before club captain and talisman Andy Smith steered in at the back stick with the clock reading 59.59 to the delight of the home crowd.

So it was 4-4 come the final buzzer and, whilst the point will do little to bolster his side’s prospects in the Southeast Trophy, Head Coach Kevin Parrish will be hoping Andy Smith’s late goal will provide a morale boost to a team that celebrated the leveller like a winner. Man of the match honours on the night went to Niall Bound of the visitors and the hardworking Justin Noble of the Dynamos.

Picture supplied by David Trevallion