Northern Premier League | Midland Division | Saturday 5 October 2024
The Dynamo have had a difficult start to the season, having won only one League game so far. Last season’s Manager left at the campaign’s end, and was replaced by Loughborough Dynamo’s chieftain. He trusted all his players from Loughborough would follow him: they didn’t. Hence, Shepshed have, so far, already used 32 players, as they look for a stable, workable combination. All this being so, the hosts will have been happier with their point than the visitors, who would have been hoping to consolidate a Play Off place.
An emerald green pitch proved to be slippery and this, combined with a fitful second half wind, made measured, constructive play difficult. Consequently, this was a ping-pong game, headers (of which there were many) and long hoofs upfield (ditto) characterising the encounter. Despite this, and the gritty determination of both teams, there was no foul given until the fifteenth minute. It could easily have been the third. The Mikes had the edge in the first period, despite an equal number of efforts at goal. It needed a reflex save by the excellent Dan Wallis to deny the Mikes, after half an hour. The resultant corner came out to Theo Rowe, whose low shot was turned in, from close range, by Jake Collins, to give the Boldmere a deserved lead.
Did this opener prove the foundation on which the Mikes built a victory? No. Within three minutes, a totally unhindered Luke Cox headed home a corner, to level things up. Ollie West (not averse to expressing his opinion) became the first of five players to enter the book, as we neared the break. Half time: 1-1.
The second half belonged to the hosts. Theo Rowe, who’d been a thorn in the side of the Dynamo defence before the interval, no longer got the service he’d previously had, while the Dynamo restarted like an express train, striker Cameron Johnson skimming the bar twice, in the first three minutes. As the players fought each other and the skiddy park, we had two outbreaks of minor handbags, after players had gone down under overenthusiastic challenges. I doubt that the whole Boldmere squad will be fit for next Tuesday’s game, against Long Eaton.
A physiotherapist came on no less than six times in the second half, and towards the conclusion, our official was getting the message, and yellows now appeared regularly. The battered Corey Cooper was replaced at half time by Harry Sweeney; and, with the hour well gone and Boldmere becoming increasingly restricted to breakaway attacks, Liam Murphy and Alfie Taylor were brought into the fray. It didn’t really make much difference. Surprisingly (considering the number of substitutes, and breaks for attention to injuries), only five minutes’ added time was played. The normally vociferous Butt Hole Lane crowd had been uncharacteristically subdued up until now; but, sensing the possibility of a win, the volume was noticeably turned up in the final ten minutes. Even so, the Mikes nearly stole it at the death a goalmouth melee saw the ball evade three clustered Mikes when it looked as though any touch would do, and finally Oliver West hammering the bar with a twenty-yard screamer when something more modest might have done the trick. Having said that, a draw gave out just reward to both teams.
Shepshed Dynamo: Daniel Wallis: Theo Sackey-Mensah: Cuba Meyer; Luke Cox; Ethan Young; Niall Prenderville; Aaron Vorpal; Chad Timson (Kyle Dixon, 54); Cameron Johnson; Callum Burkey; Jude Collins (Kyle Perry, 76). Subs. not used: Alex Akers; Khemani Aiyanyo; Jesse Friend.
Boldmere St Michaels: Jonathan Brown: Lewis Allison; Corey Cooper (Harry Sweeney, 45); George Cleet: Joe Hull; Daniel Atkins: Theo Rowe; Ollie West; Jake Collins (Liam Murphy, 76); Sean Devlin (Alfie Taylor, 76); Daniel Gyasi. Subs. not used: Kyle Burke: Hisham Chiha.