THE Gillingham-based Invicta Dynamos ice hockey team face a huge English National Premier League Cup weekend in which their fate in this year's competition will be decided.

Having already lost to Milton Keynes and Swindon in the competition the Mos cannot afford another defeat.

All the South Section sides are fighting for top spot and the chance to take on Peterborough Phantoms, runaway leaders of the North Section who are already through to the final.

On Saturday the Mos are away to basement boys Romford who this month welcomed back former Peterborough player coach and veteran sniper Luc Chabot.

Then on Sunday at the Gillingham Ice Bowl comes the tricky proposition of an in-form Isle of Wight Raiders who last week signed Mos' target Rob Lamey, a GB international.

On the transfer front captain Phil Chard said “We're talking to two guys and are trying to fix something up before the deadline and will keep trying up to the eleventh hour.”

If a signing is made, any player won't be able to play this weekend because of registration constraints. Instead they would make their debut next weekend against Swindon.

However, the transfer deadline is today (Friday) so Invicta's thorough search for new signings looks like it will end in failure, but the silver lining is the emergence of young talent right on the doorstep.

Garrett Bruce was the first young gun from the Mustangs to step up and make his mark on the senior team. On Sunday he was named man of the match for his all round contribution and two predatory goals against Haringey.

Twenty-one-year-old Dan Fudger's size and ability means he also has been able to fill a hole in the squad 16 times this season, and on Sunday Adam Smith, playing up from the under-16s, made a memorable debut.

And this season's signing of promising young netminder Carl Ambler from Romford has proved to be an excellent bit of business.

The 17-year-old back-up has looked a genuine talent in his seven appearances and this week earned a call up to the Great Britain Under-17s squad.

Talking after the Haringey game player coach Carl Greenhous said: “I was very impressed with Adam Smith's first game for us. At just 15 he shows great potential and I like the way he skates with his head up, always aware of what's going on. Carl Ambler again did well for a young man in a specialist position and Garrett Bruce got the goals that his opportunist play deserved.

“I'm also happy with the way players like Peter Korff have improved with the added ice time they have been given.”

Andy Martin, player coach of the Mustangs, believes there are four or five more young players good enough to be future Dynamo players.

He said: “It's important for junior development that players get blooded in the higher leagues. The more ice time they get given the better for everyone at the club.

“It might be dropping them in at the deep end, but it's the only way to learn and see if they make the grade.”