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Invicta Dynamos came good in the end on Sunday as a dominant third period sealed a big win over Milton Keynes Thunder.
Juraj Huska hit seven points in an 11-4 victory as the Mos went into their two-week break on a high. It made meeting the fans post-match all the more pleasurable for Karl Lennon’s side.
A big win wasn’t looking on the cards during the first two periods, as the Dynamos were involved in a tight tussle, narrowly leading 4-3 at the end of the second.
“I was happy with the result, probably not entirely happy with how we got to it really,” Lennon said.
“Everyone can have a bad period but we put in two bad ones. We were ahead but we should have been much further away from them.
“I think we approached it with a little bit of expectancy and that the result would come. We didn’t really have enough intensity for my liking and if we play against top teams then I don’t think that would be enough to get a result.
“We made some changes [for the third period] and ultimately I can’t grumble with scoring seven goals, we really turned it on and it was a good finish to the night because following the game we had a meet-the-players with the fans, which was nice.
“At least we went out on a high and there were some smiling faces, which was good.”
Lennon has been glad of the patience shown by those supporters to the team this season. While they have made it to the semi-finals in the Southern Cup, league wins have been harder to come by.
He said: “The fans to me have been very encouraging and also for the boys and they have remained positive despite some of the results. They can see what we are trying to do which is really good. They have really got behind us all this year, every single week home and away.
“For a lot of the younger players it was the first time they have really experienced signing autographs and meeting fans.
“They enjoyed it, the fans did, too, and that was a nice way to finish the evening.”
Lennon gave credit to Huska for playing a big part in Sunday’s home win, scoring four and assisting three.
“His finishing was absolutely top-notch,” said the coach.
“Not only that, but his creative play with a couple of assists was exceptional.
“Seven points by anyone in a game is outstanding and without doubt that was his best performance this year. When you are up against it you do need the experienced players to show up and he most definitely did.”
Lennon brought in Michael Stokes from the Mustangs for Sunday’s game and the D-man will be available for the remainder of the season, bolstering the depth to the Mos’ blue line after Gregor McAllan played his last game for the foreseeable future ahead of surgery for a collarbone issue.
“It’s a long season and we don’t want to be running thin on the ground in defence,” Lennon said. “Stokesy is a very competent and experienced defender, he has been with the club a long time and this is his first season with us and that is quite exciting for him and for us.”
The Mos are are back in action at Milton Keynes Thunder on Saturday, December 17. There follows a home fixture with Solent Devils on the Sunday of that weekend in what will be the last games before Christmas.
The two-week window gives the players and coaches a much-needed breather. The Mos will be looking to welcome back Tom Soar from injury when they return to action in a fortnight.
Ruskin Springer-Hughes is expected back in January following a hand injury.
Signing off for a break with a win was a big boost for Lennon.
He said: “When you have two weeks off the worst thing would be to have had a loss. You want to go away with a win so that you aren’t sitting on that loss for a couple of weeks.
“Now we have finished on a positive and we have them again when we come back and then at home against Solent, second at the moment. We are under no illusions that we have tough games coming up.
“We want to finish the year strong, so that we can start on the new year on the right foot.”