Shepshed slip to third straight loss to basement boys
RUGBY TOWN 3 SHEPSHED DYNAMO 1 Northern Premier League Midland Division
IT WAS a third straight defeat by Shepshed Dynamo as they were beaten by basement side Rugby Town 3-1 at their Butlin Road Ground in the Pitching in Northern Premier League Midland Division on Saturday.
After running neighbours Quorn close on Bank Holiday Monday Damion Beckford-Quailley made three changes Shaun Ruzvidzo, Charlie Wakefield and Mason Lee replacing Niall Prenderville, Shaquille Masters and Reece Morris.
Shepshed got off to a disastrous start after failing to clear Theo Rowe’s cross, as soon as the ball left Ryan Sahota’s foot in the first minute there was only one destination it was heading as it flew past Brandon Ganley to give the hosts an early lead.
This spurred the home team on in desperate need of points to get out of the bottom two Ganley was forced to advance out of his area twice once to Michael Taylor in the second minute and a minute later to Chris Clements.
Rugby were dominant and Taylor who was a thorn in Shepshed’s side earlier in the season when playing for Spalding United forced a good save from Ganley on nine minutes.
Shepshed were under constant pressure and Rugby’s second top goal scorer David Kodolynski brought a save out of Ganley on 18 minnutes. A minute later and he was to join Jordan Wilson as joint top goal scorer on eight for the season as he headed home a deflected cross to double Ruby’s lead.
Shepshed’s first and only meaningful chance of the half came on 27 minutes Callum Burkey’s effort going wide.
As the hosts took hold of the game again Madando Semahimbo’s effort deflected wide on 28 minutes and Ganley was certainly being kept busy saving from Rowe on 36 minutes. A minute later and Clements free kick was headed clear by Captain Jordan Smith.
But Shepshed were to go into the break further behind as Taylor was brought down by Ganley in the area and Layiso Recci converted the spot kick to make it three for Rugby Town at half time.
Shepshed started the second half brightly with Jadahn Fridye- Harpers cross straight into the hands of the under worked Tomasz Bukowski in the Rugby goal and shortly after Shaquille Masters who had been brought on just before the break was fouled but keep his free kick down.
The home side were less proactive this half largely due to the fact the damage had been done in the first half. Semahimbo fired wide on fifty five minutes and after a double block Ganley saved from Ayo Lekuti on 57 minutes, followed by Semahimbo firing wide again on 65 minutes.
In a timid second half Shepshed had the better of the play in the last 20 minutes James Shaw firing over on seventy minutes and Masters forcing Bukowski into his first meaningful save of the game on 78 minutes.
Shepshed earned themselves a consolation goal on 84 minutes with Burkey scoring his first goal for the club heading home Masters corner. There was one final chance of the game with Rugby substitute Silvano Obeng firing wide in injury time.
Rugby’s dominance was too much for Shepshed in the first half and although they stuttered into the game in the second they slumped to their third consecutive defeat.