Outstanding team effort as Shepshed beat Belper Town

SHEPSHED DYNAMO 3 BELPER TOWN 1 Northern Premier League Midland Division

SHEPSHED Dynamo made it five games without defeat with an outstanding team performance beating play off contenders Belper Town 3-1 at The Dovecote Stadium in the Pitching in Northern Premier League Midland Division on Tuesday evening.

The game was rearranged after Saturday’s game between the two teams was abandoned due to a horrific leg injury to The Nailers Jakub Niemczyk. The admission to the game was free and an amazing attendance of 278 gave generously towards Jakub raising £1,000 in donations which both teams and Jakub’s family were extremely grateful and appreciate this as Jakub makes his long road to recovery after an operation on Monday.

Belper like Saturday started strongly so slightly against the run of play Shepshed took the lead on the stroke of half time through John King. Dempsey Arlott - John doubled Dynamo’s lead on 78 minutes, before Alex Peterson pulled one back on 86 miinutes. Reece Morris completed the scoring and sealed an outstanding team performance for three points in second half injury time.

Belper pushing for the play offs started the game in the ascendancy and like on Saturday Sam Muggleton’s immense long throws were an ever threat. As early as the second minute he launched the ball into the box and Brandon Ganley did well to block Kyle Dixon’s effort. Tom Wilson then forced a save from Ganley with a header.

Ganley was called into action again on 10 minutes punching clear Muggleton’s long throw and again on 18 minutes saving from Dixon.

The Nailers were in control of the game and Ganley once again pulled off a superb save from Nathan Curtis on 32 minutes and three minutes later Jack McMillan cleared a goal bound effort off the line

Like Saturday Shepshed were gaining more possession through free kicks and as half time loomed with Dynamo doing well to keep the score level Morris was fouled on the edge of the box. McMillan curled the ball to the far post where Toby Ritzema pulled the ball back across the area for King to tap into the empty net to give Shepshed a lead at the break.

It was a quiet start to the second half but Shepshed knuckled down to take the game to Belper. The first real chance of the half fell to Jack Rogers on the hour mark but it sailed over the crossbar.

Belper came back at Shepshed Dixon firing into Ganley on 64 minutes and a minute later another Muggleton missile was deflected over for a corner. Ritzema then fired over from McMillan’s free kick on 69 minutes.

Dynamo were beginning to get the ball down and play King and Morris combining well on 71 minutes with Ritzema firing wide and two minutes later Jordan Smith headed into Moore.

Shepshed doubled their lead on 78 minutes after a long ball over the top Arlott - John made himself a nuisance on the edge of the box and turned on the loose ball to beat Moore into the far corner with a superb shot just outside the area.

Belper never gave up as they try to secure their play off place with six games remaining. Muggleton launched another throw into the box for Ganley to punch clear on 80 minutes and Ganley was then forced into a succession of saves.

It looked like Dynamo and their supporters were in for a nervy end when Muggleton again threw from the halfway line, his throw was flicked to the far post and sent back across the box for Peterson to pull one back for The Nailers.

It was the total opposite as Ritzema tried to run the clock down after Shepshed caught Belper on the break and then in injury time Shepshed broke clear again and selflessly Arlott - John squared the ball to Morris to rifle into the roof of the net to secure all three points.