SWINDON Lynx edged past the Gillingham-based Invicta Dynamos ice hockey team 4-3 in the English National Premier League Shield last night.

With Sean Clement back in the side, the Mos could draw on more experience and resources than they have been able to in recent weeks, but it just didn't happen on the ice.

The home side got off to a disastrous start when Mark Richardson, who celebrated his senior international call up last week, neatly set up Robin Davison to tap home with just 1.47 gone.

Jake French and Paul Hume tested Lynx netminder Gregg Rockman before Matt Van Der Velden pulled off a terrific save from Mark McCoy - sticking out a leg at the last second to meet the puck bottom left.

Poor powerplays from the Mos once again scuppered any chance they had of getting anything from this game.

They wasted four out of five and disconcertingly conceded a shorthanded goal in the second when Merv Priest got past Vandy at the second attempt.

Invicta’s defence had a disjointed game, with the puck being given away in danger areas too often and Van Der Velden was left totally exposed when Davison was allowed to waltz around the crease unchallenged to make it 3-0 at 21.12.

This third Swindon goal seemed to spur the Dynamos into life and Matt Beveridge got into a good scoring position only for Daniel Madge to hook the Mos’ man back.

As the powerplay once again fizzled out, Duane Ward stole the puck and casually put it into the Swindon net at 28.40 assisted by Carl Greenhous.

The game had sparked into life and for the first time Swindon were on the back foot, but a third powerplay for Invicta came to nothing.

Ward showed great persistence firing a bouncing puck goalbound and finding a gap past the spread-eagled Rockman at the third attempt to make it 3-2 at 36.43.

After dragging themselves back into the game the sense of disappointment was palpable when within a minute Priest scored his second of the night.

The Mos dug deep and their fourth powerplay finally paid dividends when Beveridge and Greenhous combined to set up Stuart Low.

With the game finely balance the third period was a tense affair with the home defence finding it hard to hold it together.

Priest should have scored when he was given free reign in front of goal, but elected to pass instead of shoot and the puck was intercepted, and minutes later Vandy kept the Mos in the match with a fine double save from Priest and Richardson.

Mos final powerplay came at 42.57 when Wayne Fiddes received two minutes for cross checking a prostrate Michael Wales, but again it ended with nothing to show.

Ward went close at 51.30 when he hit the post and he was involved in another chance at 52.17 together with Beveridge and man of the match Wales but still no goal.

Priest then embarrassed himself when he went down like a sniper had shot him after Ward bumped into the back of him.

The Lynx man's dive earned him two minutes for unsportsmanlike behaviour and Ward received two minutes for high sticks.

Beveridge teed up French but his shot whistled over the crossbar and as the seconds ticked down Vandy was pulled, but still the Mos could not force a clear cut shooting opportunity and Swindon held on.

n The EIHA has ruled that the result from the home league match on November 24 when Slough Jets refused to continue the match with 11second remaining on the clock will stand. The match will be recorded as a 4-2 victory to the Dynamos.

RESULTS

Telford 9 Haringey 5, Isle of Wight 7 Chelmsford 3, Swindon 3 Milton Keynes 7, Romford 4 Peterborough 6, Slough 7 England U20s 1. (Sun): Chelmsford 4 Isle of Wight 3, Haringey 4 Peterborough 10, Nottingham 3 Romford 8, Slough 9 Telford 4, Invicta 3, Swindon 4 (cup).