Four Unibond League defeats in 2009 and not a point on the board. That following a December which saw just one solitary victory over Gresley. All from a hardly changed squad which took the Team of the Month award for November.

The true Shepshed heroes on Saturday were without doubt the twenty or thirty supporters who managed to “swell” the Willenhall gate to 67. Despite the freezing conditions they stuck to the task of singing and encouraging to the bitter, in more ways than one, end.

On to the match and the first surprise to the Shepshed faithful was the team line up. Gavin Saxby replaced Gary Hateley in goal, whilst leading goalscorer Shane Benjamin started on the bench as Lee Wilson chose to go with just one (Ben Saunders) up front. Tim Wilkes, making his first start since returning to the Dynamo, was chosen to support Saunders.

Shepshed got off to a bad start. With only eight minutes on the clock Rory May forced his way through a square back line as the ball was played over the top on the left flank, ran on and shot across the advancing Saxby into the far corner of the net.

Naveed Arshad then broke down the right wing and with two unmarked colleagues in the area made the wrong choice of taking on Saxby who dived on the ball at his feet. In the 26th minute Arshad had the ball in the net when he headed home at the far post what looked a perfectly good goal from a cross by Craig Milligan. The assistant referee thought otherwise, flagging for offside.

On 34 minutes Willenhall added a second. Scott Stevenson got the better of Damien Magee in midfield, swept the ball out to Danny McGhee on the right whose cross was only half cleared to the edge of the penalty area where Lee Chilton was on hand to rifle the ball home.

Willenhall lost centre forward May in the 38th minute with a pulled hamstring which looked a bonus at the time as he was causing problems in the Shepshed defence.

Shepshed’s “one up front” wasn’t working. The Dynamo were finding Ben Saunders and he was holding the ball but he was invariably being double marked and suffering from poor support. With 54 minutes on the board and barely a shot on target Benjamin replaced Wilkes.

The change noticeably recharged the Dynamo’s batteries. Two minutes later Shepshed had a cast iron claim for a penalty turned down when Milligan crudely flattened Ricky Hanson in the area – the referee seeing nothing wrong in the challenge. A Sam Saunders cross was headed straight at the keeper by Rob Norris and seconds later a shot by Benjamin flew just over the bar.

In the 62nd minute hopes of a Dynamo revival were shattered. A cross by Arshad from the left went right across the pitch to McGhee who was totally unmarked. Cutting into the area he drove his shot across Saxby into the far corner.

On 67 minutes Wilson replaced Sam Saunders and Adam Walker with Micky Lyons and Ewan Clarke. The changes though did little to change the game. Three minutes later a 35 yard shot from Scott Stevenson flew past Saxby for a fourth.

On 75 minutes Shepshed scored. Benjamin in a crowded goalmouth had risen the highest to head a cross towards the top corner. Town keeper Luke Tilt parried the ball to Ben Saunders who had the simple task of tapping home.

At the other end Willenhall looked likely to score with every attack. On 80 minutes McGhee outpaced his marker down the right wing and buried the ball in the net and on 83 minutes substitute Justin Nisbett added the sixth.

The final whistle came as a welcome relief.

Shepshed: Saxby, Hanson, Butler, Screaton, Millns, Walker (Lyons 67), Norris, Magee, Wilkes (Benjamin 54), Ben Saunders, Sam Saunders (Clarke 67). Subs Not Used: Powell, Davies.