Invicta Dynamos face Solent Devils in play-off quarter-final double-header
Published: 20:40, 26 March 2024
Updated: 08:51, 27 March 2024
Invicta Dynamos head into play-off action this weekend.
Dynamos are up against Solent Devils at the Quarter-Final stage, hosting them at Planet Ice on Saturday night (5.45pm) before the away leg in Gosport the next evening.
Karl Lennon’s fifth-placed team finished two points and one position below Solent in the regular NIHL South Division 1 standings - but the head coach is optimistic ahead of the double-header.
Lennon said: “We have pretty much been on the wrong end of the results against them this season.
“They finished a couple of points ahead of us in the league. When we have come against them, we have struggled - not in terms of being beaten heavily, there’s only been a goal or maybe two in it.
“But we can take some confidence from having played them in the Cup Semi-Final last year and came out on top.”
Dynamos completed their Southern Cup commitments over the weekend, with a 3-1 defeat at Slough Jets last Saturday - Stanislav Lascek scoring - and a 6-4 home loss to Chelmsford Chieftains.
James Laming, Mos’ man-of-the-match, netted alongside Gregor McAllan and Mads Thune.
“We had two tough opposition in Slough and Chelmsford,” said Lennon. “They’re No.3 and No.2 in the league standings.
“We had a couple of players missing, but the games were really competitive.
“On Saturday, we had a good first period and were 1-0 up, and then made a couple of sloppy errors. We probably should have done better.
“In the third period, when we were pushing to get back into the game, we conceded a third goal and that was the tie done.
“Sunday was a slightly more feisty encounter, although that was always expected because there’s a bit of rivalry between the teams. I think it was level at 2-2 at the end of the first period.
“We had a poor spell again then and, although we battled back into the game and made it uncomfortable for them, they held on.
“But I was happy with the performance levels.”
Streatham head into the play-offs as favourites, but there’s all to play for.
Lennon noted: “The reality is the league and the cups have been decided - Streatham have won all three.
“The only one of those we can still win is the play-offs.
“It gives a lot of hope to all the teams.”
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KentOnline Sports Reporter