When the sides met at Shepshed on August Bank Holiday Monday the Town were top of the table with a 100% record, but the Dynamo toppled them on the day by a 1-0 scoreline. How times have changed. The only survivor in the Dynamo side was goalkeeper Gary Hateley, whilst Alsager in their plunge down the league only fielded three. Consistency was only achieved in the scoreline – 1-0 to Shepshed.

Alsager are to be relegated. Their ground has failed its inspection by the powers that be and this was reflected in their support. A crowd, if that is what you can call a gathering of 60, was the lowest for a Shepshed match for a long time and over half were Dynamo supporters.

A heavy rain storm, an hour or so before kick off, had left the pitch in a soggy state and both teams found it difficult to pass with any accuracy throughout the game.

Alsager might have taken the lead in the 5th minute when Chris Budrys headed a Jimmy McCarthy cross just over the bar. This however was the closest the home side came in the first 45 as they failed to get one effort on target.

Shepshed in the meantime, through Phil Massingham and Lheureaux Menga, looked dangerous every time they attacked. After Menga had missed a couple of good chances it was his strike partner who put the Dynamo ahead in the 23rd minute. The goal came after some excellent work by Ben Cobley. The Shepshed Nº11 went on a mazy run down the left flank, beating two players, before cutting in and finding Massingham with an inch perfect pass which he stabbed home.

When Shepshed failed to capitalize on their superiority by adding further goals there was a feeling at half time that they might regret it. Certainly in the early second half the nail biting started as Alsager stepped up a couple of gears.

In the first minute Mark Sobolojew broke through on the left of the penalty area and unleashed a shot which flew across Hateley, but fortunately inches wide of the post. Within seconds a point blank shot from Ashley Miller was well saved by Hateley. A cross by Miller was headed clear by Darren Norwood at the far post with Hateley scrambling and then Matt Millns was forced to clear one effort off the line. But Shepshed survived and gradually began to re-establish their control.

On 54 minutes Alsager keeper James Jowsey was yellow carded as he was forced to bundle Menga to the floor as the Shepshed man broke past him on the edge of the area. From the resulting free kick by Whitehead, Millns headed inches wide of the post.

Jamie Clarke replaced Menga and within minutes Tim Wilkes had set him up. But Clarke’s shot across Jowsey rebounded off the far post.

Shepshed were denied a penalty in the 83rd minute when Cobley again went on a run down the left and as he broke into the area David Whittaker handled his pass. The referee however insisted the infringement was outside the area. In the end it didn’t affect the result and Shepshed deservedly pocketed the three points.

Shepshed:- Hateley, Powell, Fletcher (Whitehead 29), Norwood, Millns, Wilkes, Jeffries, Saunders, Menga (Clarke 68), Massingham (Stahlberger 76), Cobley.

Att: 60.