National League: Invicta Dynamos 9 London Raiders 0

Table-topping Invicta proved too strong for Raiders in Gillingham last night.

And it was several former Raiders who combined to do most of the damage against their old club.

The visitors arrived without a trio of forwards in Stephen Deacon, Liam Chong and Grant Taylor and fell behind inside two minutes as former Raiders captain Anthony Leone netted the first of his hat-trick, stabbing the puck between the legs of George Alley after Frankie Harvey’s face-off win.

Alley denied Nicky Lewis on a breakaway but was beaten in the final minute of the first period when Michal Oravec teed up former Raiders defenceman Billy Phillips to fire home Invicta’s second.

Younger brother Charlie Phillips forced home number three from close range before Mark Lee raced from his net to deny Bailey Wootton a reply.

And Leone made it 4-0 just past the midway point with a wristshot from the left.

Invicta extended their lead just before the second break when Andy Smith swept home Callum Fowler’s pass at the far post, as the home side dominated the shot count 36-13 after two periods.

A high sticking minor against Ross Wilkinson allowed Ashley Jackson to make it 6-0 on an Invicta powerplay soon after the restart and Leone completed his treble with a backhand shot, after Billy Phillips saw his drive blocked.

Raiders captain Tom Davis went close to a reply, with Lee freezing the puck right on the goalline before Fowler found the top corner of Alley’s net for Invicta’s eighth.

Fowler turned provider for Smith’s second and the home side’s ninth goal, with just over three minutes remaining, and Raiders saw a late consolation effort washed out by referee Tom Stephenson as the Invicta net had been knocked marginally off its moorings.

Wootton was named man of the match for Raiders, who hit the road next weekend to take on Bracknell and Oxford, where they hope to unveil new signing Alan Lack.

Scorers, Invicta: Leone 3+1 Smith 2+2 Fowler 1+4 B Phillips 1+2 Jackson 1+1 C Phillips 1+1 Harvey 0+3 Oravec* 0+2.

Penalty minutes: Invicta 8 Raiders 8.

Shots faced: Lee (Invicta) 25 Alley (Raiders) 52.