Raiders captain Julian Smith (left) celebrates a goal with Juraj Huska

Oxford 1 Romford 6; Romford 5 Invicta 3

Romford Raiders made a winning return to action in their first outings of 2013.

After beating Division Two side Oxford in the National League Cup on Saturday, the defending Division One champions held off Invicta at Rom Valley Way last night.

And there was no shortage of controversy after a third-period clash between Romford’s Billy Phillips and Nathaniel Rose.

Both were ejected with game misconduct penalties and tempers continued to boil over in the sin bin and back on the team benches as they headed for their early showers.

The match was in the balance at the time, with Romford 4-3 up in the 54th minute.

But a boarding call against former Raiders blueliner Tyrone Miller gave Juraj Huska the chance to complte his hat-trick and seal the points on a powerplay.

Huska had opened the scoring while Jack Tarczyki served an early roughing minor, but the Dynamos defenceman made amends by levelling the scores in the 11th minute.

Shaun Yardley restored Romford’s lead before the first break with the second of their four powerplay goals, only for Callum Fowler and Justin Noble to net three minutes apart in the second period and put Invicta 3-2 up.

Yardley levelled as Miller served the first of his two boarding calls and Huska edged Raiders in front with less than two minutes remaining in the middle session.

But the home side were forced to kill off an elbowing minor against Andrius Kaminskas and a bench minor for an icing infringement before Rose and Phillips tussled.

When the dust settled, man of the match Huska made sure of victory with his 43rd goal of the season.

Kaminskas and Huska had put Raiders 2-0 up in the first period in Oxford, before Darren Elliott hit back for the Stars in the first minute of the second session.

JJ McGrath and Phillips (shorthanded) netted to make it 4-1 after 40 minutes and AJ Smith struck twice in the last four minutes to complete a workmanlike performance by Raiders.

*A late goal from TJ Fillery saw Romford Fury to victory against Lee Valley Lions in their Division Two derby at Rom Valley Way.

Rob Jenner put Fury ahead in the first period and Lee Mercer doubled their advantage in the second, only for Adam Peach and Theo Abban to reply for the visitors.

Fury dominated the third period shot count, 15-3, and claimed victory when Fillery netted his second goal of the season with 3:22 left.