Chelmsford Chieftains returned to winning ways on Saturday by beating Invicta Dynamos for the fourth time this season in five starts.

In doing so, Chieftains virtually ensured themselves top slot in their Millennium Cup group with just a trip to ED1 side Telford Royals left.

Chieftains welcomedback Ross Mackintosh, previous winner of the player-of-the-year award at Riverside after a season and a half at Milton Keynes.

Chieftains took control from the outset and a Carl Greenhous pass found Duane Ward lurking unattended on the Dynamos' blue line and he coolly deked netminder Murray Tester for Chieftains' first goal.

Chieftains mounted exerted pressure on the Dynamos' zone and good work by Ward and Andy Hannah set up Darren Cotton and with Tester committed, he struck the puck into the net for a 2-0 lead.

Invicta then laid siege to the Chieftains' net and at 9.59 they got a goal back.

Chieftains were unable to clear their zone and as the puck broke free, Mikko Skinnari struck a nice goal past Simon Smith.

From that point the period was fairly even with both goalkeepers in fine form to stop further goals.

It took until 19.18 for Chieftains to increase their lead with a well worked goal.

Once again it was the first line who caused problems inside the Dynamos zone and eventually Darren Cotton found Greenhous and the big defender hit a fine effort past Tester to leave the score 3-1 at the period end.

The second period was scrappy compared to the first and Dynamos succeeded in mixing the play and upsetting the rhythm of the game.

As a consequence the two defences started to dominate and chances were few and far between.

John Cotton had a goal disallowed early in the period and Chieftains could not take advantage of four minutes of power-play although Ward did hit a post.

Shortly after the end of the power-play, Hannah picked up the puck in his own zone and skated the length of the ice to slam a brilliant slap shot past Tester from outside the Dynamos' blue line.

Try as they might, Chieftains could not find their rhythm of the firstperiod and the period ended at 4-1.

In hockey terms, the last period was disappointing as both defences exerted a stranglehold on the game and with only seven shots apiece on goal, the period finished goalless, leaving Chieftains with a 4-1 win.

Ridleys' Brewers man-of-the-match awards went to Darren Cotton for Chieftains and Mike Kindred for Dynamos.

After the match, Chieftains were presented with a cheque for £2,500 from their Booster Club from proceeds raised from raffles and auctions etc.

The win leaves Chieftains needing to win at Telford Royals this Sunday to finish top of their group and progress to the Millennium Cup final.

Before Sunday's encounter, Saturday sees the Chieftains travel to the Isle of Wight for an important top-of-the-table Premier League clash.

After this weekend's matches, Chieftains will not be in action again until January 2.

A crowded goalmouth . . Chelmsford Chieftains put pressure on the Invicta Dynamos goal in Saturday's Millennium Cup match at the Riverside Ice & Leisure Centre in Chelmsford.

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