Ice men fight for places
00:00, 29 August 2003
AFTER a summer of upheaval, Gillingham's Invicta Dynamos ice hockey team are once again ready to move forward.
The club, forced to drop into the English National League (South) because of sponsorship problems, has announced its new roster.
Only four of last season’s squad - player-coach Phil Chard, England under-20s netminder Carl Ambler, Paul Hume and Peter Korff - have re-signed.
The first new signing from outside the club is forward Gary Dodds, who was captain at Haringey Greyhounds and once played a season with the Medway Bears.
The majority of the new Mos have stepped up from the Invicta Mustangs, which has been disbanded as the club pool their resources and one such player is forward Kevin Lake who will be the new captain.
New assistant coach Kevin Parrish rejoins former Mos team-mates Hume, Greg Hales, Garrett Bruce, AJ Smith, Jon Grey and Dan Fudger as familiar faces up front.
The other forwards fighting for places are former Mustangs’ Lake, Matt Drake, Peter Carey and Grant Baxter, plus James Fraser is expected to play up from the under-16s.
At the back, Chard and Korff will share defensive duties with former Mustangs Damien Welsh, James Lake and Peter Beerling.
Back-up netminder will be former Mustangs stopper Ian Rowlands.
Chard said: “The team is not looking bad at all. We have about 19 guys and are confident of doing well. Our aims are to win the league and cup and do well in the English Premier League Cup, which we have also entered.”
The new-look Dynamos, however, are looking for an import player. The club was hoping that Canadian forward Duane Ward would stay, but that is looking increasingly unlikely.