THE Gillingham-based Invicta Dynamos ice hockey team may have lost the battle, but they won the war at Romford on Sunday night when they did just enough to edge their way into the play-off final.

The home side won the game 3-2, but needed to win by two clear goals to snatch the second place up for grabs in the two legged final to be played this weekend. Instead, it’s the Mighty Mos who will face-off against Group B runaway winners Isle of Wight Raiders, playing the first game away on Saturday and the decider at the Ice Bowl the following night.

While Isle of Wight walked their group, the Mos’ group couldn’t have finished tighter with Invicta going through with superior goal quotient. And as league champions the Dynamos won the right to play the second leg at home.

The game at Rom Valley Way started well for the Raiders going two goals up in the first period. Danny Marshall opened the scoring at 5.52, assisted by Jason Rushton, before Chad Brandimore sent the home crowd wild with an unassisted goal at 14.40.

Duane Ward got the Mos back in it finishing off a move involving Sean Clement and Matt Beveridge on 30.47. Mikko Skinnari broke Raiders’ hearts with a fine powerplay goal at 42.14, assisted by Jake French.

Romford needed three goals in eight minutes and were just not up to the task as Invicta eased into the finals, although Marshall grabbed a late consolation at 60.00, the puck seemingly nestling into the back of the net a split second after the buzzer.

Mos team manager Andy Mason said: “We’re delighted with the way we came back from two down. Player coach Andy Hannah gave a great team talk after the first period and settled the team’s nerves.

“That’s where your experienced players come into their own when things are going against you and he got the team firing again in the last two periods. We didn’t deserve to lose this game and probably wouldn’t have had man of the match Simon Smith not been playing. He put in an outstanding netminding performance, facing 50 shots and conceding just the two.

“We also owe a lot to our fans who were brilliant. A couple of hundred made the journey and even when we were two down showed no signs of agitation or despondency, just total support.”