A big win last Saturday for the Invicta Dynamos didn’t lead to the desired performance the following day - much to the head coach’s frustration.

Coach Karl Lennon was hoping to take the good vibes from a 16-2 NIHL South Division 1 victory over Milton Keynes Thunder - which ended a run of four straight defeats - into Essex when they took on the Chelmsford Chieftains the following night but they lost 8-2.

Lennon said: “It was a comfortable win for us there. I was hoping that it would give us some sort of confidence to go into the Sunday game but, in fact, it probably gave us a bit of complacency and sort of self-expectancy that we could do things that we can't do against better teams.

“It didn't have the desired effect on the Sunday night. I was sad really because we'd had really good performances at home against Solent and against Slough despite losing.

“I was happy with how we'd played in those games and going into Sunday the hope was that we matched that same level of performance against Chelmsford. I think if we had, then we probably would have had a much better game as a result of it.

“Saturday’s game probably over-inflated egos and it didn't work out in our favour in that way.”

The Mos found themselves 3-0 against the Chiefs after the first period - conceding the first in the opening minute.

“We gave away a goal in the first shift,” explained the coach.

“It was the signature of our night really. We were just about to start the game and Louis Colvin, who was playing first line D, on that night, his laces snapped on his skate and so the first shift of the game he has to sit out and all of your best preparations are put to bed immediately.

“We were probably a little all over the shop because the line is different from what was intended and then they score. You just think, ‘right, okay, we're uphill battle here.’

Conceding twice more, at 3-0 the Mos were then chasing the game heading into the second period.

Lennon said: “That's impossible against good teams to give them that much of a head start. You can't do that.

“I was very unhappy with the performance and I lost the plot during the break. I'm quite a level-headed character, generally speaking, but there are situations within games where that level-headed nature escapes me and it becomes a little bit more forceful. Sunday was a good example of that.

“I was very clear during the break. We were not there to compete, we were going through the motions, and that's not good enough. Thankfully there was a response in the second period.”

The Mos then dominated, out-shooting the hosts, two to one shots in the second period and got it back to 3-1. Unfortunately, a little lapse came immediately after and they made it 4-1.

Lennon said: “We seemed to have to do a lot to get a goal but just gave them chances left, right and centre constantly, in the first and third periods at least.”

Heading into the third period the Mos were 4-1 down.

Lennon said: “The next goal was so vital. We always say in hockey, the worst lead is a two-goal lead because games can change in a heartbeat and we’ve found ourselves in that situation before in this season, like we did down in Solent.

“We thought if we can get that next one, we could be right back in it. We did. We got a power play goal. It was a good moment for us but then, instantly afterwards, they scored again.

“I think the biggest loss then is belief. People lose belief that we can do it because we fought so hard to get that goal but then it’s gone. Towards the end, they scored a few goals, and even their coach said he didn't feel that the scoreline was a reflection in the game.

“It’s now happened two or three times in the season where we've been in the game and then we've just fallen apart at the end. That's not good enough.”

The Mos had gone into Sunday’s game after a 16-2 win over bottom side Milton Keynes Thunder.

It wasn’t completely one-sided and Mos’ 16-year-old netminder Nikolai Divall picked up the MOM award, conceding only twice after facing 32 shots in his first full game for the club.

Lennon said: “He's a fantastic kid to start with. He's super professional with how he conducts himself and how he trains and he was just absolutely worthy and deserving of his first start.

“He made some great saves considering we were playing a team that we beat 16-2. You can imagine the scoring chances in a game like that should be limited for them. But, actually, they still had a few shots on goal.

“I was frustrated for him, really, because he actually didn't deserve to concede a goal on Saturday. We gave up two really stupid mistakes and that cost him a perfect night, really, which is sad but he was excellent.

“There were some standout performances through Tom Soar, Cameron Pywell and Aaron Connolly who were very, very good on the night. I think they scored 10 goals between them on the evening, which is pretty exceptional.

“It was good for us to get ice time for some of the younger guys that perhaps don't get to get on the ice as much during the tougher games, shall we say. It was a good, professional night's work and it was just a shame that that didn't carry through to Sunday.”

The Dynamos now have a two week break before returning to action. They are back on Saturday, December 14, at home to Cardiff Fire.

There was no training this week, as Lennon was keen to use the mid-season break to give his players a breather, some of whom are carrying injuries. Regan O’Neill, meanwhile, faces six weeks out after a foot fracture. He took a puck to the foot in a recent game against Slough but didn’t instantly realise the severity of the injury.

Lennon said; “We've got four or five other players that are carrying knocks or injuries, ribs, knees, ankle injuries, anything in between at the moment. So, to give them a week of recuperation on those things and then we'll begin training the week after.”