A lively Dovecote stadium welcomed in 2025 with the first game of the new year against Grantham Town. Dynamo had spent the back end of 2024 pulling away from the relegation places while Grantham hadn't quite had it as good, finding themselves at the foot of the table badly in need of points.

Freezing temperatures and lashings of rain greeted the two sides as the pitch valiantly held up against the elements. A bumper crowd of 327 had filled the stands and terraces providing a superb atmosphere with a strong travelling contingent present from Grantham.

The away side needed a fast start and that’s exactly what they produced. A long kick from goalkeeper Curtis Hall in the third minute skidded off the turf, evading the Dynamo midfield and back line. Striker Jevin Seaton latched onto Hall’s punt upfield and shot low past Dan Wallis in the Shepshed goal to put Grantham into the lead with the away fans singing in the rain.

After struggling to get the ball down and play, Dynamo responded after seven minutes. Kyle Dixon’s cross from the right hand side found the head of Jesse Friend at the near post. Friend’s header whistled past Hall’s near post and wide of the target.

Shepshed continued to work the flanks looking for an angle to break down a rugged Grantham defence. It took 24 minutes of heavy pressure to finally get The Gingerbreads to crumble. A superbly timed switched through ball from Tom Eccleshall on the left released Aaron Korpal on the right. Korpal held off his man to finish low and hard under Curtis Hall to bring Dynamo level.

Just before half time, Shepshed would get another sight of goal. Centre back Sidik Atcha turned defence into attack and strode forward down the right wing with the ball. Atcha’s cross from the byline found Jesse Friend in the centre of goal 6 yards out but Friend could only place his effort straight at Curtis Hall.

Grantham emerged from the dressing room in the mood to start the second half as they had the first. A neat passage of play on the edge of the Dynamo 18 yard box produced an opportunity for Lewis Darlington. Dan Wallis came out to meet the striker's effort, saving with his feet as Darlington struck with 58 minutes on the clock.

The resulting corner from Darlington’s effort produced a goalmouth scramble which eventually Shepshed managed to clear. The long punt upfield dropped dangerously behind the Grantham defence forcing Sam Edgington to pull back goalscorer Aaron Korpal. The referee reached for the top pocket and brandished a red card leaving the away side down to 10 men.

Grantham dug in as Shepshed looked for a way to break through them again. The home side were going for the direct approach with the visitors proving to be well organised and continuing to defend strongly.

Following a plethora of long balls to try and break the Grantham defence, on 77 minutes one finally got through. Aaron Korpal, now playing a central striker role, latched onto the through ball but his lob over the onrushing Hall from 25 yards out narrowly cleared the crossbar.

Shepshed huffed and puffed but just couldn’t turn the key in the lock. A late corner produced an opportunity on the turn for Luke Cox but the big centre half saw his effort clear the crossbar on 87 minutes. Despite a large chunk of stoppage time for substitutions and a catalogue of injuries to ‘keeper Hall, the final whistle finally blew with honors even at the end.

At the start of play, manager Gary Drake would no doubt have been eyeing this tie up as one to take maximum points from. It wasn’t for the want of trying that Dynamo didn’t bag all three but hats off to the visitors who showed grit and determination to bring home their share of the spoils. Shepshed travel to Hinckley Leicester Road in a Leicestershire derby on Saturday while Grantham continue their survival battle at home to Loughborough Students.

Dynamo: Wallis, Timson, Eccleshall, Cox, Atcha, Dixon (Challinor 66’), Burkey (Mtenga 79’). Samuels, Korpal, Friend (Jebbison 90’), Dunkley (Collins 66’)

Grantham Town: Hall, Ebanks, Adelekan, Edgington, Black, Muggleton, Cook (Bartley 95’), Olivant (Koromba 61’), Darlington (Munns 85’), Seaton (Horne 80’), Allen

Attendance: 327