PETR Cech made a return to Oxpens as Oxford City Stars began 2023 with a defeat in overtime.

In November, the former Chelsea and Arsenal goalkeeper put in a man of the match display on his Chelmsford Chieftains debut.

Stars were beaten 6-4 in the NIHL Division One South fixture, with netminder Cech grabbing the headlines.

The 40-year-old Czech stepped up a division to join Chieftains for the 2022/23 season, following a successful campaign with Guildford Phoenix, where he won everything on offer with a treble.

READ AGAIN: Petr Cech puts in man of the match display during debut at Oxpens

At the time, Stars head coach Simon Anderson wrote in his coach’s corner column: “We ran into a Chelmsford team buoyed by the signing of an import netminder, who for me stole the game for them with a man of the match display.

“He will certainly win them games and I have no doubt their locker room will be a better and more professional place because of it, as he will bring that side of it from playing football at the highest level.”

Cech spent 11 years at Chelsea, winning every club honour possible, while surpassing Peter Bonetti’s clean sheet record for the club.

After collecting 13 major honours for the Blues, he joined Arsenal and added another FA Cup medal to his collection.

Having tasted victory in November, Cech was again on the winning side when Stars hosted Chieftains on Saturday.

Stars were nearly caught napping early on but Ross Miller was alert to stick out his left pad and deny Oliver Baldock from just in front of the net.

Dax Hedges then gave Stars the lead, before Matt Lawday doubled the advantage.

Grant Bartlett got Chieftains back in it after being assisted by twin brother Cameron.

Bartlett grabbed his second with a rebounded effort to make it 2-2, but Shannon Taylor restored the Stars lead to end the second period 3-2 up.

Josh Abbott was assisted by Lawday to put Stars 4-2 up, however TJ Fillery and Baldock clawed Chieftains level again.

Baldock then scored an overtime winner for the visitors.

On Sunday, Stars were beaten 5-3 at Invicta Dynamos.

The two defeats leave Stars second from bottom of NIHL Division One South, having won three and lost eight from their opening 11 fixtures.

The Oxpens side are three points above Milton Keynes Thunder and sit one point behind Raiders IHC 2.