The Invicta Dynamos put up dogged resistance in London on Saturday night and pushed the current league holders to the wire with goals from Stanislav Lascek, Mason Webster, Ashley Jackson and Juraj Huska almost enough for a point in a narrow 5-4 defeat.

In the opening frame the hosts were on the board first – the clock stopping at 06.02 as Scott Bailey’s shot was given up for the rebound and Ryan Watt reacted fastest to tuck beyond Ben Clements. Just moments later the gloves then came off – Mason Webster and Ben Paynter going toe-to-toe and exchanging blows before Webster landed on top.

When the action restarted the visitors then levelled at 14.37 – Ashley Jackson countering up the ice with speed, cutting across the crease and slotting beyond Nathan Gregory for 1-1. However Streatham would restore their advantage at 18.45 – Ivan Antonov feeding Brandon Miles in front who converted for the lead.

In the second period the hosts looked to have pulled out of sight early on with two further goals in the opening four minutes. The first came at 20.30 – Joshua Ealey-Newman credited with a strike that sent the puck beyond Clements for 3-1. And at 23.18 it was 4-1 – Ealey-Newman was on target again as he skipped in from the boards and squeezed a shot through the netminder for a commanding three goal edge.

To their credit though the Mos fought back. At 25.20 they cut the deficit to 4-2 as Stanislav Lascek picked up on a sloppy clearance before firing under Nathan Gregory to put his team back in the hunt. At 26.36 that deficit was then just one – Lascek the architect this time as he coasted down the wing before teeing up Mason Webster for the finish right in front. The teams then traded chances without further goals for the remainder of the frame.

In the final period the comeback was complete at 43.26 – Juraj Huska claiming the puck in the neutral zone and skating into the final third before slotting between the legs of Nathan Gregory for 4-4. The gloves were then off again at 46.14 – Brandon Webster taking on Brandon Miles in a fearsome duel in which both fighters landed punches.

With everything to play for it was then Streatham who scored the game winning goal at 50.43 – Samuel Waller having several bites at a deflected puck in front before finally swatting beyond Ben Clements for the strike that would claim the points.

So it was a loss for the Mos in the end but a spirited performance leaving much to be positive about given previous results in the London rink over recent seasons. Man of the match honours went to Henry Aiken and Samuel Waller.