Clinical Quorn put Shepshed to sword

Shepshed Dynamo succumbed to a 3-1 home defeat at the hands of local rivals Quorn on Easter Monday.

By Lucas Monk

Steve Hart netted a brace before Callum Ball made the points safe for the visitors on a glorious summer's afternoon at The Dovecote. Joe Pheasant scored the Dynamo goal.

Defeat in their final home match of the season leaves Shepshed in sixth position in the Midland Football League table with just one match of the season remaining.

Shepshed, who had recalled top scorer Matt Melbourne, midfielder Niall Prenderville and defender Chris Acott to the starting lineup, did not enjoy the best of starts.

David Kolodynski threw himself to the ground, and, with just six minutes elapsed, referee Benjamin Scott awarded a more than dubious penalty to the visitors.

Hart stepped up to take it, but Shepshed stopper Brandon Ganley was at full stretch to parry away his spot-kick.

But Quorn would nonetheless take the lead two minutes thereafter, with Hart atoning for his earlier error in spectacular fashion.

From long range, the Midland Football League's top marksman crashed a fierce volley into the net.

Quorn then threatened to double their money when Kai Tonge raced onto a long ball forward. He burst through on goal, but Ganley made an attentive save.

Shepshed responded on 23 minutes. Matt Melbourne eked out a cross from the right wing, which Sam Moore met with an acrobatic effort. Unfortunately, it bounced wide of the post.

The hosts then had strident cries for a penalty fall on deaf ears when Melbourne went down in the box after appearing to be pushed by a Quorn defender.

In the last notable action of the first half, Bradley Maslen-Jones met former Shepshed loanee Joe O'Neill's corner with a header, but Ganley held it.

In clear contrast to the first half, Dynamo started the second in fine fettle.

Moore and Josh Thomas produced some excellent combination play on the left, which resulted in Niall Prenderville shooting just over the bar on 52 minutes.

The hosts were, without question, in the ascendancy. They pertinaciously pursued a second goal. Thomas saw a goalbound shot cleared off the line. There were half-hearted appeals for handball.

Melbourne then made his way into the area and chanced his arm at goal and was desperately unlucky to see his shot fizz past the post and go behind for a goal kick.

But Dynamo would rue their failure to double their lead having controlled the match for large periods.

Quorn regained the lead on 82 minutes. Hart advanced on goal. Petrified Shepshed defenders retreated. He produced an adroit piece of footwork, of panache, and drilled a low shot past the unsighted Ganley and into the bottom left corner.

And Quorn, who had spent most of the second half under significant attacking pressure, would make the points safe just four minutes later.

From a throw-in on the right, former Derby County striker Ball received possession 25 yards from goal, and unleashed a howitzer that flew into the top left corner.

This was perchance a slightly unfortunate defeat for Shepshed, who enjoyed a hegemony of possession and dominated most of the second half. But Quorn ultimately punished them for not having taken their chances. Hart's opener and Ball's goal to wrap up the points were exquisite, and well worth the admission fee.

Dynamo will now look to Saturday's trip to South Normanton Athletic. It is their final match of the season. One feels that if they can play as well on Saturday as they did in today's second half, they will stand a good chance of finishing the campaign with a victory.