Invicta Dynamos v Streatham IHC

Invicta Dynamos TV

Match report

Goals from Mason Webster, Brandon Webster, Stanislav Lascek and a phantom strike from Anthony Leone were not enough to prevent the Invicta Dynamos slipping to a 7-4 home defeat at the hands of league leaders Streatham on Halloween night.

In the opening frame the Mos made a positive start with Anthony Leone and Stanislav Lascek testing Tom Annetts early on whilst, down the other end, Ben Clements had to deny a Ben Paynter breakaway to keep the scores level. The hosts then broke the deadlock at 05.03 – the puck dropping to Mason Webster between the slot and he fired low through the five-hole to make it 1-0.

Streatham hit back quickly though – at 08.11 Thomas Beesley fired into the pads of Ben Clements from wide left and Ivan Antonov was in place to snap at the rebound and force beyond the goalie for 1-1. The teams then traded chances before the Mos took the lead again at 14.45 – Billy Phillips marked his return to action with an assist as his blue line slapshot was given up for the rebound allowing Brandon Webster to turn in from point blank left. The visitors had late chances to level the tie but Clements denied both Antonov and Ryan Watt with the clock winding down.

In the second period the visitors were back on the board as soon as 25.04 – Ivan Antonov skipping in from the right wing and roofing over the glove of Ben Clements from between the circles to make it 2-2. For the third time on the night though the Mos edged ahead again – this time in dubious circumstances. On Halloween night a phantom goal made it 3-2 at 25.24 – Stanislav Lascek beating his man down the right wing and charging to net where he lost his balance and collided with the frame before Anthony Leone then drilled a now loose puck towards the target where it was saved by Tom Annetts. Lascek’s slide into the goalposts caused the goalie’s water bottle to jump and the referee immediately pointed to signal a goal however video replays would later confirm that the puck had never crossed the line. Streatham protested but the Dynamos were now ahead again in controversial circumstances.

To their credit the visitors were undeterred and were back level as soon as 28.10 – Henry Aiken was sitting in the box as Ivan Antonov’s shot from close right bounced back for Joshua Ealey-Newman to tuck in a rebound from right in front to make it 3-3. This was a turning point in the tie as Streatham then went on to seize control. They went ahead for the first time at 30.58 – Ealey-Newman testing Ben Clements from between the circles and the puck rebounding to Danny Ingoldbsy who managed to force in from tight right for the 4-3 lead. Clements would be needed to deny a number of Streatham chances soon after but he would be beaten again at 35.33 – a sweeping team move by Ingoldbsy, Antonov and Benjamin Ealey-Newman unlocking the Mos defence and ending with a back post finish for Ealey-Newman that made it 5-3. The goal prompted Owen Rider to replace a possibly injured Clements and he was needed immediately to stop the latest Streatham goalscorer adding another on the breakaway.

In the final frame the Mos tested Tom Annetts early on but it was the visitors who would tally again next – at 47.23 Benjamin Ealey-Newman’s progress was halted in the right circle by the defence but the puck dropped to Ivan Antonov right in front who turned between the legs of Owen Rider for 6-3. Tempers then flared briefly at 49.40 following a scramble in the Streatham crease with Brandon Miles instigating courtesy of an unnecessary shove after the whistle prompting a short wrestle with Mason Webster. Both players received two minutes for roughing.

When the action restarted the visitors added their last of the night at 54.31 – young defenceman Milique Martelly rounding of a strong performance with a blue line shot that deflected off of Henry Aiken en route leaving Owen Rider no chance to react and the score at 7-3. The hosts then claimed a consolation late on – Stanislav Lascek scoring arguably the best of the tie as he moved from his own zone, beat his man down the left wing, skated across the crease and then fired low inside the left post whilst completing a 360 spin to cut the deficit to 7-4.

So it was a defeat for the Dynamos who gave the current league champions a challenging game but the visitors had a little more in the reserves allowing them to come away with the points. Ivan Antonov was the stand out performer pulling the strings for Streatham and finishing the night with three goals and two assists.

Written by Paul Bennett.