Shepshed Dynamo F.C.

Shepshed fans saw Rob Brewer make a welcome return to the side after being out injured since last September and Rob Mulonga finally make his debut after last week’s postponement. Both were to make decisive contributions.

In windy conditions on a wet surface it was Shepshed who made the first attempt on goal in the sixth minute when David Boafo broke down the right flank, cut in, but instead of finding two unmarked colleagues on the far post, delivered a woefully weak effort to the near post which Alessandro Barcherini gathered with ease.

Shepshed totally dominated the opening minutes and it wasn’t until the 12th minute that the Dynamo keeper James Martin touched the ball, and that led to Rainworth scoring. A fairly innocuous back pass – probably to keep Martin warm – was totally miss-kicked by the keeper and fell at the feet of Rainworth’s Stephen Akers, who slotted a delicate through ball to Ben Spargo who placed his shot wide of the advancing Martin into the corner of the net. Ironically Spargo shouldn’t have been on the pitch. He was only brought into the starting eleven when Robert Gill broke down in the pre match warm up.

Three minutes later Shepshed equalized. A break down the right flank saw Iain Screaton cut back inside and test Barcherini with a low shot that the keeper could only parry to Mulonga, who, from six yards tapped the ball home for a debut goal.

At the time it looked as if the spectators were in for a glut of goals but it never happened.

Just after the half hour mark Shepshed really should have had a penalty when Steve Chaplin was brought down a yard inside the area by Rainworth skipper, Mark Camm, who was yellow carded. The referee though after consulting his linesman, who had a far better view, decided the tackle was outside and awarded just a free kick. Unfortunately the officials did not have the photographic evidence we had. Joe Ward drove the kick round the wall and just inches wide of the post.

In the dying seconds of the first half a corner to the visitors taken by ex Shepshed favourite Joe Carter flew, unbelievably, across the Shepshed six yard box at waist height without any of a dozen or more players getting a touch, giving the Dynamo a real let-off.

Shepshed dominated play in the second half and really should have gone on to win the match. Shepshed lost Screaton with a leg injury at half time but Brewer and Simon Hore did an outstanding job in keeping the discipline in the back line. This allowed Jermain Hollis who replaced Screaton to play a really active role in midfield. In the 53rd minute a cross from Hollis found Chaplin whose attempt on goal was somehow cleared off the line.

On the hour mark Rainworth wasted their best chance, and arguably their only real chance of the half when Spargo broke the Shepshed offside trap. Keeper Martin did well to force him wide but had to concede a cross to the unmarked Akers on the far post. Fortunately the Rainworth No10 blasted his shot over the bar of the gaping net.

A series of free kicks gifted to Shepshed by a panicking opposition just outside the penalty area and taken by Ward kept Barcherini on his toes and the Rainworth custodian did very well to keep at least two out of his net. A series of corners also came to naught as time passed and in the dying minutes Chaplin should have done better than clear the bar with a shot after Mulonga, who had worked his socks off all afternoon, fed him a delightful through ball.

Shepshed:- Martin, Boafo (O’Connor 78), Wilson, Brewer, Screaton (Hollis 46), Hore, Ward, Pembleton, Chaplin, Mulonga, North. Subs not used Sturgess, Z Jenkins, J Jenkins. Attendance 120.
Report by Mick Voce