Shepshed Dynamo 5 AFC Wulfrunians 5

Shepshed Dynamo and AFC Wulfrunians shared five goals a piece in a ten goal thriller at The Dovecote Stadium in the Total Motion Midland Football League.

To a neutral or groundhopper this would be a perfect game to be at but for Shepshed for what looked like an unassailable four one lead at half time it was more like two points dropped rather than a point gained a result where they remain ninth in the league. For AFC Wulfrunians it was a minor victory coming from 4-1 behind and 5-4 to gain their point.

Shepshed dominated the first half and John Bateman in The Wulfs goal was made to work from the first minute saving from Jake Betts and then Corey Grantham fired over on eight minutes.

Shepsheds early pressure paid off on eighteen minutes a Liam Read free kick from the right side was flicked over Bateman by Shay Brennan and under pressure from Betts the ball looped into the visitors net.

Dynamo wanted to turn control into goals with Niall Prenderville having an effort blocked and then on Twenty one minutes Bateman saved from Brennan again.

Two minutes later Shepshed doubled their lead Brennan denied by Bateman again but Amarvir Sandhu was on hand to slot home the rebound.

AFC Wulfrunians then had their best spell of the first half with Denham Hinds denying Jake Webb on thirty one minutes.

Two minutes later and the visitors pulled one back Shepshed panicing at the back and failing to clear their defence properly led to Hinds saving from Mitch Evans but Nicholas Turton was on hand to head into the empty net.

Dynamo restored their two goal advantage on thirty seven minutes from a Read hand corner the ball was headed across the box by Adam Hoh and Celson Patrocinio was alone in the six yard box to make it three.

Shepshed then made it four on forty one minutes Betts fed Sandhu down the left handside and he was brought down in the box by Jacob Barnes the referee immediately pointed to the spot and Brennan dispatched the spot kick passed Bateman despite the keeper getting his hands to the ball.

Dynamo could have extended their lead before the break with Bateman advancing out of his area to deny Brennan his hat trick. Then on forty three minues Bateman saved from Grantham and Josh Barr - Rostron fired over in the last minute.

With a four to one lead at the break the only outcome based on the first half was further goals from Shepshed and three comfortable home points. But how a game of football can change in forty five minutes.

Whatever Richard Forsyth said to his team at half time certainly worked AFC Wulfrunians came out looking a more sharper and determind side. Their more direct approach to the game was something for a majority of the second half Shepshed couldn't handle.

AFC Wufrunians new dedtermination paid dividendson fifty two minutes Tom Ray's cross was met by the head of Turton, Hinds saved the header but Turton was first to the loose ball to reduce the deficit to two goals.

Shepshed responded Brennans effort was deflected into Bateman on fifty four minutes. Two minutes later Read was fouled on the edge of the box his free kick was saved by Bateman and Brennan put in the rebound but the assistant referee had his flag up for offside to the dismay of Brennan and the Shepshed faithful.

Wulfrunians pulled back a further goal on fifty nine minutes as they broke down the right handside the ball was fired into the box hitting Sandhu. With the referee seemingly to be in a maore advantageous position to see the incident he conferred with the raised flag of his linesman and a penalty was given for what looked like ball to hand not handball. However Webb stepped up and made the score 4-3.

The inevitable happened on sixty nine minutes as Wulfrunians rejuvenated side gained their deserved equaliser Webb caught Dynamo on the break and found Turton to claim his hat trick and The Wulfs fourth.

Brennan then fired into the side netting for Shepshed. Before having a further oppurtunity denied by the referee as he broke free on the edge of the box on seventy one minutes he was deemed to have pulled back Barnes before he was clean through on goal.

Shepshed went back into the lead and maybe thought they had broken AFC Wulfrunians resolve on seventy nine minutes debutant Grantham cutting in from the left hand side beating Bateman low at the near post.

But AFC Wulfruniansno surrender attitude wasn't over with Jumaane Meggoe had only being on the pitch four minutes when he managed to break through two challenges and beat Hinds to make it 5-5.

The final chance of the game fell to Adam Hohn on eighty nine minutes but his free kick cleared the crossbar.

For their determination and failure to give in AFC Wulfrunians deserved their share of the points but Shepshed will feel they have thrown away two points after not holding onto a half time lead of three goals.

The result leaves Dynamo ninth in the table as they travel to local rivals Quorn in the first of the Charnwood league derbies of the season.

FT Shepshed Dynamo 5 AFC Wulfrunians 5 att 139

Team: Hinds, Hohn, Read, Pheasant, Betts, Patrocinio (O'Neill 90), Barr - Rostron (Hil 83), Prenderville, Brennan, Grantham, Sandhu