Tuesday night football once again found its way to the Dovecote as Shepshed Dynamo welcomed St Neots Town to Leicestershire for a re-arranged fixture. St Neot’s last visit to Dynamo back in season 22/23 resulted in a 3-1 win for the home side with Shepshed hoping for a repeat performance.

Following defeat at home to Anstey Nomads in the Isuzu FA Trophy on Saturday, manager Gary Drake restored his strongest eleven after multiple changes due to a heavy fixture schedule. St Neots captain Robbie Parker made his return to the side after missing their FA Trophy exit at home to Sporting Inkborrow on Saturday.

Shepshed began brightly in their hunt for the opening goal. Jack Rogers, taking his familiar spot on the right wing, produced a cross to the far post finding Jesse Friend. A good touch to control the ball and a low shot resulted in a diving near post save from goalkeeper James Goff after ten minutes.

The visitors had their first sight of goal on 26 minutes. Keiran Barnes found space 25 yards from goal and decided to try and test Dan Wallis in the Shepshed net. The home captain gathered Barnes’ low strike easily down to his left with a routine save.

The Cambridgeshire side almost produced a freak opening strike two minutes later. A free kick ten yards inside the St Neots half was taken by ‘keeper Goff. The ball evaded everyone and headed over Wallis in the Shepshed goal, narrowly clearing the crossbar.

Dynamo responded to a spell of St Neots pressure by aiming a 31st minute free kick from 35 yards, slightly to the left into the penalty area. The ball eventually broke to Jesse Friend who rolled his effort across Goff and struck the far post. The rebound, picked up by Dylan Reason, was fired wide by the Shepshed frontman.

Reason would make amends for that missed opportunity as Jude Collins free kick from out on the left soared towards the far post. Dynamo Defender Ben Bayliss headed the ball back across goal and waiting to pounce was Dylan Reason, heading the ball past the dive of Goff. Shepshed ahead after what had been 33 minutes of thrilling football up to now.

The visitors had bargained on beating the offside trap on numerous occasions up to now. Their endeavours paid off on 38 minutes as Charlie Bowen found himself alone with only Dan Wallis to beat from 10 yards out. A firm, point blank effort was matched by a superb block from the Dynamo captain as Wallis preserved his clean sheet.

Half time was just seconds away when Jack Rogers once again surged down the right. A floated cross to the far post found fellow winger Jude Collins just inside the area. Collins took the ball first-time on the volley producing a deadly strike inside the near post past a helpless Goff. One of the finest goals seen at the Dovecote for a long time and double delight for Dynamo heading to the break.

The second half produced a response from St Neots who had it all to do following Collins’ wondergoal. A 50th minute free kick was taken just inside the St Neots half by captain Robbie Parker. In similar fashion to Goff’s earlier effort in the first half, Parker tried to catch Wallis out and went one step closer by rattling the crossbar with Wallis eventually recovering to smother the ball.

Shepshed then had an opening to put even further daylight between the two sides. Jesse Friend’s superbly weighted pass to the right put Jack Rogers through one-on-one with Goff. Rogers' effort from 12 yards was matched by a timely block from the visitors’ goalkeeper.

The away side found a way back into the game on 58 minutes as Ben Bayliss was penalised for a push in the area with the linesman signalling for a penalty. Captain Parker stepped up to try his luck against Wallis from much closer range. The St Neots skipper dispatched his penalty into Wallis’ top right-hand corner to give the visitors hope.

Dynamo continued to threaten and were undeterred by their lead having been cut in half. After having his near post strike saved four minutes earlier, a run down the left from Jude Collins on 67 minutes produced a cross to the far post. Collins’ perfectly lofted ball floated over everyone and found Jesse Friend to cushion a header back across Goff and into the net. Two became three and Shepshed again put daylight between themselves and the visitors.

Late drama was still to come as St Neots, to their credit, hadn’t given up the game. A corner whipped into the far post found the head of Harvey Henderson. The powerful connection sent Wallis sprawling across goal to keep the ball the right side of the line as the pressure mounted from the away side.

As stoppage time ticked away, frustrations got the better of captain Robbie Parker as his lunge at Jack York earned him both a second yellow card and an early bath. St Neots down to ten men following the red card compounded a frustrating evening for the men in blue.

The final whistle confirmed Shepshed Dynamo’s return to winning ways and ascent to 7th in the league table. A superb performance from the front line this evening brought the goals and a disciplined defensive display from both defence and midfield capped off a great night. Shepshed fans are no doubt excited for the return of the FA Cup on Saturday with a huge tie against Southern League side Stamford AFC.

Dynamo: Wallis, Bayliss, Partridge (York 46’), Peart, Timson, Collins (Barber 82’), Reason (Morgan 93’), Friend, Prenderville, Rogers, Dixon

St Neots Town: Goff, Willis, Parker, Tavernier (Obeng 81’), Henderson, Bowen, Furlong,Ameishike (Ankrah 73’),Thorpe (Sterling 91’), Barnes, Williams

Attendance: 201