Dynamo 2 Maltby Main 4

By Lucas Monk
Picture By Jamie Hollis

Shepshed Dynamo exited the FA Cup owing to a disappointing defeat at the hands of Maltby Main.

Despite John King firing them into an early lead, Dynamo succumbed to a 4-2 loss. Gavin King netted a penalty before Robert Worrall scored to hand Maltby a 2-1 advantage at the interval. Shepshed skipper Jake Betts restored parity with a stupendous acrobatic effort, but Ben Algar and Aaron Moxam were on target to send the visitors into the next round.

The early stages were bereft of event. Inclement, blustery weather threatened to sweep away any hope of this match being a compelling clash.

That was until the 11th minute. John King received possession just outside the box and hammered a superlative strike into the top corner to hand the hosts the advantage.

Dynamo threatened a second goal a few minutes thereafter. Matt Melbourne made an energetic burst to the byline and dug out a low cross. Maltby, however, cleared the danger.

In the 23rd minute it was the turn of Maltby to make inroads into the Shepshed half. Niall Prenderville thwarted the attack with an impeccably timed challenge.

But the visitors drew level a minute later. Lewis White brought down Algar in the box, and referee Thomas Hayles pointed to the spot. Gavin King converted the opportunity, and guided the ball low into the far corner.

Maltby had grown into the game by this juncture. Dynamo did well to clear Joseph Austin's dangerous cross to the far post on 33 minutes.

Shepshed responded as King surged forward with pace and purpose before passing the ball to Melbourne, who dragged a shot wide.

It would be Maltby, though, who finessed for themselves the next goal of the game. After referee Hayles dubiously awarded them a free kick on the right, the South Yorkshire side broke expeditiously, and Worrall was on hand to place a painstakingly accurate shot into the bottom corner.

Dynamo made an alacritous start to the second period. Reece Morris saw a driven shot blocked. Maltby's Robert Chips scythed down Melbourne.

Damion Beckford-Quailey's side finally eked out an equaliser after Gavin King blasted a wild effort over their crossbar.

With approximately 15 minutes of born time remaining, Melbourne fired a shot toward goal. The ball bounced in the air. Betts pounced and thumped an emphatic acrobatic effort into the net to level the scores at two apiece.

But this parity was ephemeral, and Maltby soon pulled away.

A fleet-footed counter culminated in Algar drilling a low shot past Matty White and into the bottom corner to restore his team's lead.

And with the game in its dying embers, Maltby won their second penalty of the day in added time. Substitute Aaron Moxam walloped a venomous shot high into the net to guarantee their win.

This must go down as a disappointing defeat for Dynamo, who were far from their best and beaten by the better team.

Maltby were unremarkable but competent. They made excellent use of their height and physicality and converted their chances in a ruthless fashion.

Shepshed, whose play lacked fluency and a cutting edge, must now look to next Saturday's trip to Desborough Town.

Overreaction to this result would be unseemly and somewhat unhinged. Dynamo were up against tough opposition and the rub of the green deserted them somewhat. They are more than capable of securing a result at Desborough and claiming a first away victory of 2019.

Dynamo: M. White, Hill (Mundell), L. White, Pheasant, Betts, Morris, Prenderville, Whymark, Thomas (Moore, Armstrong), King, Melbourne.

Unused substitutes: Conteh, Entezah, Doy.

Maltby Main: Pollard, Cutts, Morton, Chips, Austin, Radford, Rigby, Worrall (O'Brien), Fairhurst (Moxam), King (Hopewell), Algar.

Unused substitutes: Eades, Ing.