SHEPSHED 1 STAMFORD 4

Playing bottom of the league Shepshed, this was a game Stamford had to win if only for their own pride. Tommy Brookbanks was at the game but assistant Gary Stones was in charge. He surprised the Stamford supporters preferring to start with Nick Ghislanz

Stamford dominated the opening minutes but the first chances went to Shepshed. First a long range shot from Iain Screaton which went straight to Ross Whalin then a real let off for Stamford when Steve Chaplin cut into the edge of the box but his shot across Whalin hit the outside of the post.

That was a wake up call for Stamford and they took the lead after 14 minutes. Tyrone Kirk played a short corner to Nathan Watson and when he was tackled the ball broke to Kirk now on the edge of the box. He took a couple of paces before curling the ball into the far corner.

The game was being played almost totally in the Shepshed half but another 30 minutes went past before Stamford increased their lead. A wonderful cross field ball from Kirk set up Watson to play the ball quickly for Bruno Holden who calmly placed the ball past James Martin in the Shepshed goal.

It was 2-0 at half time and Stamford really ought to have led by more having dominated the game but they increased the lead straight from the restart. Jared Holmes took the ball straight down the middle before playing it wide to Nick Ghislanzoni who crossed to Holden on the other side of the box. Ghis had continued running to get a foot to the shot from Holden but the ball was already over the line.

Holden and Ghis were very much involved in the build up to the fourth goal with Holden first holding up the ball before releasing Ghis. His shot was blocked but the ball came back to Holden. It looked as if his shot was going past the far post for a goal kick but Kirk raced in to squeeze the ball inside the post.

Stamford had a scrappy period of play which ended up gifting Shepshed a goal after conceding a free kick right on the edge of the penalty area. It was a poor strike from Jerome O’Connor but the ball took a deflection off the Stamford wall and crept into the Stamford net.

Ghislanzoni was determined to get on the score sheet but wasted glorious chances to set up better placed team mates. First Holden beat the offside trap and then played it back to Ghis. With Kirk wide open on the edge of the box, Ghis took his time before finally losing the ball.

A minute later an even better Stamford chance was wasted when three Stamford players beat the offside trap. Ghislanzoni charged down the middle with Scott Mooney on one side and Kirk on the other, both staying just behind to stay onside. Ghis ignored them and chose to shoot but straight at Martin and the ball went out for a corner. From the corner, Ghis was unlucky when he outjumped the defence but his header was cleared off the line.

It ended 4-1 and that condemned Shepshed into the relegation places. Stamford needed a boost before facing Grantham on Easter Monday and the result kept their faint, very faint, hopes of a place off place flickering.

Stamford: Ross Whalin, Luke Garton, Joe Pheasant. Wayne Diuk, Dean Whiley, Rob Maddox, Jared Holmes, Nathan Watson (Harry Deane 62), Nick Ghislanzoni (Ryan Whitehurst 78), Bruno Holden (Scott Mooney 66), Tyrone Kirk,

Subs not used: Dan Brooks, Mark Harvey.

Shepshed: James Martin, David Boafo, Zeke Jenkins, Chris White, Iain Screaton (Jacob Sturgess 87), Simon Hore, Shaun Martin, Rob Mulonga (Leighton Simmonds 68), Steve Chaplin, Jerome O’Connor, Rob Brewer.

Subs not used: Carl Spencer, Ndricim Krasniqi, Justin Jenkins

REPORT TAKEN FROM STAMFORD AFC WEBSITE