Billy Woods netted his first ever goal for the Invicta Dynamos on Sunday night but his effort, alongside strikes from Harrison Lillis, Anthony Leone and Billy Phillips was not enough to prevent the Mos narrowly losing out 5-4 at home against the Chelmsford Chieftains in the league.
The Mos came into the tie short of Matt Foord, Ashley Jackson, Brandon Wesbter, Taylor Chard and Joshua Condren. Ben Clements started in net for the hosts whilst Luca Tessadri was between the posts for Chelmsford.
In the opening frame the Dynamos made the livelier start and were on the board as early as 01.24 – Richard Harris finding Harrison Lillis on the back of the left circle and the blue liner drilling a beauty of a one-timer over the shoulder of Luca Tessadri and just inside the near post to make it 1-0. They would be pegged back at 05.03 – Grant Bartlett sending a stinging slapshot to goal from the inside edge of the left circle that Ben Clements turned away but Matther Turner snapped onto the rebound point blank left to tie it up at 1-1.
Just 61 seconds later the Mos were ahead again – Juraj Huska’s pass from the boards finding Anthony Leone all alone right in front and he forced under Luca Tessadri at the second attempt to restore his team’s one goal edge. In response Grant Bartlett pinged the crossbar from close right before an equaliser followed at 09.17. This time Tommy Ralph lost possession to Grant Bartlett in his own zone who then charged to the crease from wide right and tucked around the reach of Ben Clements to make it 2-2. Just as Bartlett skipped across the crease he collided with Harrison Lillis who was charging back towards his own net in what appeared an accidental collision. Bartlett initially stayed on down on the ice for a period of time but returned to the game later.
When play restarted, Cameron Bartlett was robbed by Ben Clements as he escaped in on the breakaway before tempers then threatened to boil over for the first time – Mason Webster and Julian Smith exchanging pleasantries behind the play at 12.10 that saw Webster sit 2 for slashing and 2 for roughing with Smith unwilling to fight at this time. The Mos killed off the extended powerplay and were then gifted one of their own straight after – Cameron Bartlett seeking retribution for that earlier collision between Harrison Lillis and his twin brother so taking the opportunity to first cross check then slash his opponent and getting called for both. Unlike the visitors, the hosts made use of the extra man and scored immediately – straight from the faceoff Juraj Huska found Billy Phillips on the middle of the blue line and he drilled a low slapshot beyond an unsighted Luca Tessadri to make it 3-2.
After a goal packed first period, the second was slower in comparison but the Chieftains did much of the knocking on the door with the Mos attack stunted by the departure from the tie of Juraj Huska with a possible injury. Ben Clements put up stubborn resistance denying a back post finish from Grant Bartlett during a 2-on-1, but he would eventually be undone at 30.36. Chelmsford were on the powerplay after Billy Phillips perhaps harshly had a thumping hit called for roughing and they made it count as Stanislav Lascek found Matthew Turner who had pealed off at the back post and was left with an easy tap in.
The Dynamos thought they had retaken the lead almost immediately but they had an effort washed out at 31.40 – Richard Harris sending a slapshot to goal from the high slot that caught the skate of Anthony Leone and crossed the line but the forward was stood in the netminder’s crease causing the strike to be waved off. Down the other end Ben Clements made a double save from Cameron Bartlett before taking a James Ayling shot to the mask that left his helmet in need of repair and halted the period 40 seconds early.
In the final period Chelmsford were given an early powerplay as Richard Harris directed a few shoves at Andre Munroe after the whistle to pick up a roughing minor and it would prove costly as the Chieftains then took the lead for the first time at 41.16. James Ayling’s diagonal found Stanislav Lascek inside the left circle and the former Dynamo lashed a wrist shot just inside the top near corner to make it 4-3. Harris was then victim of a slash by Michal Korenko soon after that went unpunished and left him needing treatment on the bench but he was able to return to action.
At 44.01 the visitors then stepped further out of sight as they claimed their fifth of the evening – Matt Turner’s diagonal from the left of the blue line finding Darren Brown racing towards the crease and he tucked under Ben Clements for the two goal cushion. The Mos needed a bit of fight and that came literally at 44.30 – Billy Phillips and Julian Smith tangling in the corner before wrapping up in a wrestle and trying to punch each other at very close quarters. Both players then fell to the ice to earn 5 minute penalties for fighting.
When play restarted Tom Davis was denied from point blank left before Ben Clements then pulled off another huge stop to deny Cameron Bartlett when he was picked out alone on the back post. At 56.11 the hosts then pulled one back to set up a tense finale – Tomas Banovksy sent a harmless looking dump on net from the neutral zone but Luca Tessadri could only beat the puck straight back out in front of him where Billy Woods beat Andrew Munroe in a footrace to turn in a rebound and cut the deficit to one. The Mos frantically knocked on the door late on but Tessadri stood frim to preserve his team’s lead. The gloves then came off again at 57.52 – Phillips snapping at a puck Tessadri was attempting to smother prompting Julian Smith to shove out at him. It took little encouragement for the gloves to come off and the pair briefly directed blows at each other before quickly stumbling to the ice.
Following the bout the Mos pulled Ben Clements late on but they were unable to secure some last minute magic and ultimately fell to a narrow 5-4 defeat. Man of the match honours went to Matt Turner of Chelmsford and Richard Harris of the Dynamos.