After a dramatic late show on Tuesday night, Shepshed Dynamo continued their quest for a play-off position with a trip to fellow top-five chasers Racing Club Warwick. The home side had remained unbeaten throughout March and extended their run into the start of April, leaving the visitors with a tough game in prospect.

Dynamo boss Gary Drake made two changes from the side that defeated Belper Town in Tuesday’s epic. Elwalid Elhaghany returned to the centre of defence following a brief spell back at Barwell, while Bodi Thistleton, after an impressive substitute appearance in midweek, started at left-back.

Windy conditions greeted the two sides, with early aerial balls taking unpredictable flight paths in the opening stages. The home side had an early chance from a set piece as Cameron Ebbutt delivered a fourth-minute corner to the far post. Jack Edwards rose to meet it but skewed his header just wide of the target.

Jesse Friend, leading the Shepshed attack, had his first sight of Tom Allsopp’s goal as Aaron Korpal played an inviting ball down the right channel. Friend beat Allsopp to the ball and took it around the Warwick goalkeeper, but unfortunately couldn’t apply the finishing touch, sending his effort wide of the near post after nine minutes.

In the 19th minute, Racing Club again looked to test Dynamo’s resolve with a delivery into the penalty area. This time, a long throw from the left, courtesy of James Hancocks, found James Harding inside the box. Harding acrobatically turned the ball goalwards on the volley from 10 yards out, narrowly missing Dan Wallis’ far post.

Wallis’ goal was under threat again after 33 minutes as Warwick attacker Aaron Opoku backed into his man on the right of the penalty area before turning towards the byline. Opoku managed to get a low shot across goal that veered narrowly wide of the far post in the latest attempt to break the deadlock.

Having shown resilience to thwart the home side’s first-half attacks, Dynamo began the second half looking to catch their opponents cold. A 47th-minute cross from the left by Jude Collins found fellow winger Aaron Korpal arriving on the penalty spot. Korpal chose to take his effort first time but blazed it high and wide.

The visitors were enjoying a good spell of pressure and soon it paid off. Declan Peart’s long throw from the left caused panic inside the 18-yard box, with the Racing Club defence struggling to clear. The ball eventually fell to the edge of the area, where Chad Timson struck a sweet 49th-minute volley low into the bottom right-hand corner, beating Allsopp’s dive. It was a huge goal for Shepshed, as results elsewhere appeared to be going in their favour.

Timson’s goal stunned the home side, and Dynamo went in search of more. A 53rd-minute exchange between Aaron Korpal on the right and Jesse Friend saw Friend take aim from Korpal’s lay-off 25 yards from goal. However, he leaned too far back while striking the ball, sending it high over the crossbar.

Substitute Jack Rogers then had a clear sight of goal after 71 minutes, having been played in down the right by Jesse Friend. Rogers aimed for Allsopp’s near post, but the Warwick goalkeeper produced a strong save to palm the ball away from danger.

As the end of normal time approached, it looked set to be a disappointing day for the majority of the 548 fans, all of whom had been granted free admission by the club. A ball over the top of the Dynamo defence soon lifted the home crowd as James Harding found himself one-on-one with Wallis.

The Warwick attacker smashed a powerful finish past the Dynamo goalkeeper, high into the top right-hand corner, to bring the home side level after 90 minutes. A stunned Shepshed side could barely believe it, as for the second time in a week, a late goal had been conceded.

Sadly for Shepshed, the heroics of Tuesday evening were not to be repeated, and Gary Drake’s men left Warwickshire with a point instead of three. A local derby on Easter Monday against Loughborough Students at the Dovecote will present another golden opportunity for Shepshed Dynamo to move closer to the play-off places.

Dynamo: Wallis, Thistleton, Peart, Partridge, Friend, Burkey, Korpal (Rogers 62’), Elhaghany, Prenderville, Timson, Collins

Racing Club Warwick: Allsopp, Moore, Hancocks, Andrews, Edwards (Hayward 85’), Tetlow, Chiha (Barkers 55’), Blackmore (Hamp 55’), Harding, Ebbutt (Taylor 77’)

Attendance: 548