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Ice men slide down table

00:00, 30 December 2002

updated: 11:16, 30 December 2002

DESPITE solid performances against Romford and Chelmsford, the single point collected by the Gillingham-based Invicta Dynamos ice hockey team at the weekend saw them slip down the table to seventh.

Captain Phil Chard said: "We are outplaying teams, but not getting the puck in the back of the net and that's so infuriating.

"Against Romford they sucker-punched us with 20 seconds to go with an equaliser they did not deserve and last night we started well against Chelmsford, but could not finish the job.

"The top eight sides make the play-offs and we will do that, but there's no point just making up the numbers. For a championship side that's not acceptable to the players, fans or management."

One major positive that can be taken from this weekend is the way the Mos' powerplays seem to have slipped into gear, with all but one of their six goals scored as their opponents sat out penalties.

On Saturday the Mos kept their seasons' unbeaten record against Romford Raiders intact largely thanks to man of the match netminder Matt Van Der Velden who faced 41 shots in the 2-2 draw.

After seeing off three Romford powerplays in the first period the Mos opened the scoring when Phil Lee was given two minutes for tripping and player coach Carl Greenhous and Jake French combined to set up Elliott Andrews at 22.35.

It took Raiders 10 minutes to get back on level terms when Noel Burkett and Danny Marshall's creativity allowed Anthony Child to finally find a way past the impressive Van Der Velden.

It was the same pattern in the third period with Invicta re-taking the lead with another powerplay goal at 49.42, this time Greenhous the scorer from Matt Beveridge and Duane Ward.

And for the second time 10 minutes later and with just 20 seconds of the game remaining Child sent the home crowd wild when he linked with Adam Collins and Douglas to give Romford a share of the points.

On Sunday Chelmsford Chieftains picked up their second win of the season at the Ice Bowl.

The last time these two sides met the Mos won 3-2 on the road and so were confident of getting a result at home, but it was not to be as they capitulated in the third period.

Greenhous was once again of the scoresheet as he kicked off proceedings at 4.34 with Ward and Paul Hume credited with assists.

Just over a minute later it was looking rosy as Beveridge scored from Chard and Ward, but Chelmsford's Jon Beckett pulled one back at 12.00.

At 28.29 Ward put the Mos into a commanding 3-1 lead, but that was only to last 21 seconds when Andrew Power made it 3-2 and former-Dynamo Andy Hannah levelled matters at 36.09 on the powerplay.

Hannah and Beckett made it four straight goals without reply at the start of the third period, giving the Chieftains a lead they would not relinquish.

Andrews scored at 48.05 to make it 5-4, but any hopes of a comeback were dashed with five minutes to go when Beckett scored his hat-trick.

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