Club captain Callum Fowler marked his return from injury with two goals as his efforts, a Rehak hat-trick and singles from Mason Webster and Ashley Jackson sealed a 7-1 home win over the Bracknell Hornets in the NIHL South Division 1.
Coming into the tie the Mos were as close to full strength as they have been since the season began as Callum Fowler returned to the line-up making Taylor Wootton, James Richardson and Damien King the only remaining absentees. Netminder John Dibble was again borrowed from the Bristol Pitbulls of the NIHL South Division 2.
After an impeccably observed minute long silence ahead of Remembrance Sunday the game saw a slow start with the visitors looking to frustrate. In fact it took until 07.27 for the hosts to open the scoring – Ondrej Zosiak’s blue line shot finding the pads of Nathan Gregory who also blocked from Steve Osman close left but he had no answer to Mason Webster at point blank range right.
Gregory then did well to stop Bailey Wootton increasing the lead from the edge of the crease and Callum Fowler from close left – Fowler’s shot catching the netminder’s pads and falling just wide of the far post.
At 11.50 the visitors then answered – having had little in the way of chances the Hornets countered quickly as Benjamin Ealey-Newman crossed the blue line, slipped the challenge of Elliott Dewey and dispatched into the bottom far corner for 1-1.
Later in the period Joshua Condren was denied at point blank range, Steve Osman struck the bar and Arran Strawson fired into the pads following a faceoff in the final third but there would be no further breakthrough for the Mos who returned to the changing room level pegging.
Having been kept at bay for the majority of the opening period the Dynamos found it just as difficult to secure the breakthrough in the second – Steve Osman threatening as he broke clear but Nathan Gregory blocking with the shoulder.
A coast-to-coast skate from Ondrej Zosiak was also denied before Brandon Miles tested the leg reactions of John Dibble from the slot at the other end. Miles and Dibble again faced off moments later when the Bracknell man escaped on the breakaway but the forward fired over the netminder and over the net.
The remainder of the period belonged to the hosts – Arran Strawson hitting the bar from distance and Osman skating the length of the ice but launching the puck into the chest of Gregory when in on goal.
However it was only after a wayward stick from Sam Cheema cut Osman to the face resulting in the Hornets’ d-man making an exit that the Dynamos claimed the goals their dominance deserved.
At 37.49 Ashley Jackson took the puck following a faceoff in the offensive zone and Adam Rehak lashed into the top near corner from the left circle for 2-1.
On the same shift, at 38.04, the Czech added another – driving over the blue line down the left channel and thumping a slapshot high into the far corner from out wide for the 3-1 lead.
In the final period Bracknell believed they had cut into their deficit but William Stead kicked the puck over the line in a motion seen by referee Blaine Evans.
Benjamin Ealey-Nemwan’s effort from the slot was then beaten away by John Dibble before the Mos countered with a smooth interchange between Ashley Jackson, Adam Rehak and Nicky Lewis but Lewis fired into the mask of Nathan Gregory from between the circles.
At 47.12 the gloves then came off – Haydn Wootton and Harvey Hind-Pitcher wrestling in the corner before exchanging blows with Wootton edging the punch count before his opponent slipped giving him the takedown. As a result of the tussle the Mos found themselves on another powerplay and notched their fourth with the man advantage – 48.16 the moment when Callum Fowler swept to the back post and Rehak immediately dispatched the puck back over the netminder’s shoulder for 4-1.
The Dynamos then spent the majority of time remaining on the penalty kill as Mason Webster was adjudged to have checked Jordan Gregory to the head seeing referee Blaine Evans issue a match penalty but they continued to look the more threatening in front of goal.
At 53.21 Fowler escaped on the breakaway only to be denied by Gregory but the Mos captain gathered the puck in the corner, shifted across net and roofed over the netminder for a shorthanded strike. Not content with one, Fowler swiftly added another – at 55.17 he harried Stewart Tait into a mistake and robbed the Bracknell man in front of the target before sweeping beyond the netminder for 6-1.
The last of the evening followed at 59.55 – Adam Rehak’s cross-ice pass from the right wing finding Ashley Jackson alone in the left circle and he tucked the puck through the 5-hole to complete the rout.
So it was a comfortable margin of victory in the end as the Dynamos finally found a way through a Bracknell defence determined to keep tight. The Hornets battled tirelessly but were unable to offer enough in the final third of the ice and the Mos powered to victory with four unanswered goals in the last.
Man of the match honours went to hat-trick hero Adam Rehak of the hosts and lone score Benjamin Ealey-Newman of the visitors.
Pictures supplied by David Trevallion.
To listen to our exclusive interviews with Kevin Parrish and John Dibble after the game, click here:
https://audioboom.com/posts/5252217-john-dibble-after-invicta-dynamos-beat-bracknell-hornets-7-1