THE Gillingham-based Invicta Dynamos ice hockey squad entertain Milton Keynes Thunder this Sunday - a must-win game if they are to progress in the League Cup.

Player-coach Phil Chard said: “They have improved a lot. We were lucky to twice come up against them early on in the season in the league but if we play like we can I do not see any problems.

“We know what we must do to go through. Win our remaining games and beat Oxford at their place by more than one goal.”

Last weekend was disappointing for the Mos as they lost both their cup games.

They travelled to Swindon Lynx on Saturday to take part in the Premier Cup where they had player-of-the-match netminder Carl Ambler to thanks for keeping the score down to a respectable 4-1.

The Mos were not helped by Matt Drake being suspended, James Lake was unavailable, Kevin Parrish has a long-term knee injury and AJ Smith (flu) and Paul Hume (shoulder) were ruled after the first period.

Chard said: “In the first period we stunk. A lot of the boys were intimidated being on the ice with ENPL players but once we got going we tied the last two periods with Pete Carey getting our goal in the third.”

On Sunday it was a third clash of the season with big rivals Oxford City Stars in the English National League Cup but goals from Hume, player-of-the-match Smith, Gary Dodds and Chard were not enough as the Mos lost 5-4.

Chard said: “I have never before been in a game where we so thoroughly thrashed the opposition and lost the game.

“We embarrassed them again like we did when we beat them 10-1 last time out. Their goalie Jamie Thompson played well but he also had unbelievably luck at times.”