OXFORD City Stars responded to a stinging defeat at London Raiders with their first shutout of the season as they beat Invicta Dynamos 4-0 at Oxpens.

It salvaged two points from the weekend, after they had a night to forget in the capital with a 9-5 defeat.

The results keep them second in the English National League South Division 1.

Stars were helped by Invicta arriving with a depleted squad, although the visitors went on to out-shoot their hosts 37-22.

But Simon Anderson’s men, still smarting from the Raiders defeat, carried the greater cutting edge.

Alan Green opened the scoring in the 12th minute, and 90 seconds later Ben Nethersell’s superb solo effort made it 2-0.

Before the halfway mark Jaroslav Cesky made it 3-0 with a powerplay goal.

It was a similar story in the third period and an excellent victory was capped off by a late strike from Dominic Hopkins.

Netminder Tom Annetts unsurprisingly scooped the man-of-the-match award.

The display against Invicta was just what was required after the Raiders clash.

They travelled without injured trio Darren Elliott, Dax Hedges and Joe Oliver, while Joonas Liimatainen was absent through illness, although Hopkins returned.

The high-scoring clash took time to warm up, with the first period only producing one goal – for Raiders’ Marek Nahlik.

But it was followed by probably the worst period of the season for Stars.

A Hopkins effort provided the only positive in a 16-minute spell where the hosts scored five times.

Nahlik completed his hat-trick, James Pentecost added a double and John Connolly also netted to put Raiders 6-1 ahead.

Stars steadied the ship in an entertaining final period, which they edged 4-3.

Mike Whillock, Josh Florey, Brendan Baird and Hallam Wilson restored some pride by hitting the target.

But Raiders were never truly worried, staying just out of reach thanks to a third goal from Pentecost, plus a late double from JJ Pitchley.