With the University visiting the Dovecote Stadium for the return Midland Football League encounter this week.

The University started strongly playing controlled football in midfield and Jack Poxon went close in the third minute narrowly shooting over Liam Mitchell's goal.

Shepshed had a spell of controlling the game with Levi Porter's ball across coming to no avail on five minutes then five minutes later Porter advancing down the left found Joe Cobb on the edge of the box his pass to Jon Stevenson saw his shot just go wide of Joe Halstead's right hand post.

The University seemed to have the edge in the centre of the park and Jay Smedley was forced to block Max Herbert's goal bound effort on eighteen minutes.

Four minutes later Loughborough were in front Shepshed were split wide open down the middle leaving Ben Ward- Cochrane to comfortably slot his one on one shot passed Mitchell into the bottom left hand corner.

Shepshed tried to respond quickly but on twenty four minutes Steve Towers effort went wide further efforts from Towers and Darby couldn't level the scores.

However after a foul on the edge of the box on Thirty eight minutes Halstead was helpless as Porter's free kick curled into the left hand of the net.

The only other real chance of the half fell to Herbert who produced an excellent double save from Mitchell.

The University started the second half in the same fashion as the first and were back in front within a minute of the restart. A left hand cross was deflected into the path of Ward - Cochrane to score his and Loughborough's second goal. Four minutes later it could have been three but Mitchell provided the save to stop Ward - Cochrane from gaining his hat trick.

Shepshed spurred into life and took control of the majority of the second half. A move started in their own half by Alvin Jarvis found David Hind his ball across the box was met by the shot of Brett Darby but Halstead was equal to it.

Just after the hour mark Darby went close again and then new signing Joseph French cut in from the left hand side and his curling right footed cross crashed against the University crossbar. This was half cleared by the defence only to Chris Gray whose cross found Darby whose shot was straight at Halstead.

Shepshed continued to press for an equaliser and got their reward in the seventy third minute Joe Cobb's free kick found Darby in the box who turned and shot this was parried half clear by Halstead. Steve Towers on the edge of the box rifled the rebound passed Halstead to equalise.

Five minutes later and Darby nearly gave Shepshed the lead but his shot was saved by Halstead.

Shepshed looked more likely to come away with all three points Gray's free kick was cleared on eighty three minutes. Two minutes later and French's effort went over the bar.

Shepshed's best effort fell to another new signing Conor Brown - Wingfield with two minutes remaining French down the left hand side found Darby on the edge of the box his defence splitting ball found Brown - Wingfield through on the right but his effort went over the bar.

The final chance of the game fell to the University in the last minute with Herbert's shot straight at Mitchell. Leaving the two teams to reconvene on Saturday to see which side can come out on top on the A512 derby.

FT Loughborough University 2 Shepshed Dynamo 2 att 117

Team: Mitchell, Chapman, Jarvis, Cobb,Smedley, Gray, Towers, Porter, Hind (Brown - Wingfield 64), Darby, Stevenson (French 26)