Invicta Dynamos warmed up for their new season with a win over the reigning champions.

Head coach Karl Lennon saw much to be pleased with as his new-look side edged out Streatham in Saturday’s pre-season challenge 4-2 before the London side reversed the scoreline in Gillingham on Sunday, in another close encounter.

A 6-6 aggregate score was a boost for the Mos, who started their previous campaign with an 11-3 defeat to Streatham in the Southern Cup.

Lennon wanted his side to be tested by the best team at their level before the 2023/24 campaign got under way and both matches were competitive.

The Mos coach said: “It gave us a good measure of ourselves for the season coming and for us to do it across two games was fantastic.

“We had a pretty heavy loss in our first game against Streatham last season and we are steps ahead, but of course we know there is more in the tank, more to come, as the team spend more time together and as they gel more we will see better performances.

“I am very happy to share the spoils 6-6 on aggregate, it shows progression.

“For me, it was about putting ourselves up against the best team in the division and that will help us improve. I was happy with the outcome.

“It was great as well to have all the new guys getting their game-time infront of the home crowd on Sunday, it was a really cool fixture.

“We look forward to our first games now and trying to do be even more competitive then we were last year and push on all fronts.”

The Mos were in Streatham on Saturday for their first encounter of the weekend and it was quickly apparent the teams were up for it, with an early fight breaking out in between a goal from each team. Streatham had opened before the Gillingham side levelled.

Streatham led in the second period too but the Mos hit back and scored twice more to win it 4-2.

Lennon said: “The game was played in the true hockey friendly sense and there were a few incidents!

“The application of our guys was fantastic from start to finish.

“It was a little scrappy in places but I guess that is to be expected when it comes to pre-season, that is the purpose, the get the hands in, the legs moving, and throughout the game the guys worked tirelessly to stay with Streatham.

“We showed great resolve to get back into the game. I though in the third period, especially towards the end, we started to show our dominance and took away a very valued and earned win. I was very happy with everyone, the way they performed.”

Sunday’s game in Gillingham saw Streatham gain their revenge with a 4-2 win.

The Mos were on the backfoot early doors after giving away some needless penalties but that only galvanised the home side, who went onto take a two-goal lead.

Streatham got one back at the end of the first period and scored again shortly after the restart. As the Mos tired, Streatham went onto win 4-2, to square up the weekend.

Lennon said: “I was very happy with how we dominated them in that first 15-19 minutes and then at the end of the period they scored a goal after we made an error. They built from that and scored quickly after resuming in the second and we were always chasing. As the game went on we got leggy and didn’t have the same quality as the night before.”

Dynamos start their season with a League and Cup double away to Solent Devils on September 16 and return to Gillingham the following night to take on Romford Buccaneers.