Lee Valley 3 Chelmsford 7

Lee Valley Lions found defending champions Chelmsford too hot to handle on their return to National League Division Two East action.

Following a free weekend, Lions included new import signing Oskar Horter in their line-up, while Warriors arrived in east London with former Lee Valley men Ashlee Cave and TJ Fillery.

And, after a scrappy start as both sides took time to settle, the hosts opened the scoring in the eighth minute when Chris Fox was given time and space to fire past Sonny Phillips.

Chelmsford levelled less than three minutes later through Brandon Ayliffe and edged the shot count 13-8 as the first period ended all square.

But they could not take advantage of an interference minor against Horter, which ran either side of the break.

The visitors took the lead at the midway mark through Cave, but both sides had other chances to add to the scoreline before the end of the middle period, during which the hosts were outshot 16-15.

A bench minor penalty against Lions for having too many men on the ice gave Chelmsford the chance to move 3-1 up in the first minute of the final session, through Ayliffe’s powerplay goal.

Ayliffe had to be helped off the ice after taking a nasty tumble into the boards, but Jake Sylvester netted Chelmsford’s fourth goal of the night with 10 minutes remaining.

Ayliffe returned to the action to assist Oliver Baldock’s goal with a beautiful pass, before Ricky Mills made it 6-1 with Chelmsford’s third goal in less than three and a half minutes.

Lions hit back with two goals in 11 seconds, as James Hepburn netted on a powerplay and captain Nick Alley added an unassisted third, but Warriors had the last word as Thomas Wilson claimed their seventh goal with just two seconds left on the clock, after Fox and Will Polston had both earned roughing minors.

Lions will look to bounce back when they make the short trip to Alexandra Palace to take on Haringey Racers on Sunday evening, having lost 5-4 when the sides met at Lea Bridge Road a few weeks ago.

Scorers, Lions: Nick Alley 1+1 Chris Fox 1 James Hepburn 1 Ross Sin-Hidge 0+1 Matthew Hepburn 0+1 Oliver Glover 0+1.

Warriors: Ayliffe 2+1 Ashlee Cave 1+1 Jake Sylvester 1+1 Oliver Baldock 1+1 Thomas Wilson 1 Ricky Mills 1 Ryan Morgan 0+2 TJ Fillery 0+1 Will Polston 0+1 Gary Brown 0+1.

Penalty minutes: Lions 6 Warriors 6.

Shots faced: James Andrew (Lions) 13-16-16=45-7 Sonny Phillips (Warriors) 8-15-13=36-3.