Shepshed Dynamo Win Loughborough Charity Cup

Shepshed deserved their victory in what at times was a disappointing game, only really sparking into life in the final fifteen minutes, which included five minutes added time.

The first half was sparse of much goalmouth action,and Shepshed should have gone into the halftime lead as they were the better side, but the first half stayed goal less. The tenth minute saw Shepshed number 11, former Leicester City player Levi Porter, beat Dynamo goalkeeper Joe McCormack but hit the post. The rebound fell to David Hind who hit the bar, the ball being scrambled away by the Dynamo defence.

The twenty-ninth minute saw Loughborough front man Matt Langham hit the post from a tight angle, the rebound coming back to Langham who then drew a fine save from Shepshed goalkeeper Ryan Thacker.

Shepshed continued to be the better side, but goalmouth action eluded both sides, the exception being two minutes before the break, when Langham's shot went straight at Thacker, Shepshed going straight down to the Dynamo end and McCormack did well to claim Shepshed's Brett Darby's dangerous right wing centre.

The deadlock was broken in the first minute of the second half, and it was the visitors who took the lead. McCormack saved well from Courtney Mead, turning his shot for a corner, from which Shepshed captain Steve Towers, a former Loughborough man, headed home.

Five minutes later Towers blazed a shot narrowly wide, but Loughborough came close to equalising in the fifty-fifth minute. Thacker dropped Kieron Davies's centre, the ball being headed clear from under the bar by Shepshed rightback Chris Gray. A minute later down at the Loughborough end, Shepshed's Rob Morgan and Loughborough's Oliver Modeste both slipped when going for the ball, Darby picking up the loose ball and shooting just over.

The constant rain from just before the kickoff had now turned heavy, but the Nanpantan Sports Ground's playing surface handled the conditions well, the surface still looking good at the end of a long and busy football season.

The match had now become a more competitive affair, and a good move by Rob Norris and Leandro Browne put Langham clear, but he was ruled offside.

Shepshed should have increased their advantage in the sixty-seventh minute. Darby broke clear and McCormack saved at his feet blocking the ball which ran back to Courtney Mead who shot wide.

Shepshed did extend their lead in the seventy-sixth minute. Another fine save by McCormack saw the ball run loose and Morgan picked up the ball and slotted home.

Just when it looked Shepshed had sealed their win the match changed radically in the eighty-first minute. Davies's powerful right foot shot saw an outstanding save from Thacker, turning the ball onto a post and away for a corner. Scott Meer's delivery from the corner saw the ball only partially cleared, Meer picking up the ball and crossing for Langham to score from the resultant goalmouth scramble.

Two minutes Loughborough drew level when Langham fed Browne. It looked like the ball had run away from Browne, but he recovered the ball and fired home.

Loughborough were now in the ascendancy, but the match was settled in the eighty-sixth minute. The ball was delivered into the Loughborough area and was it Morgan who eventually picked it up to turn and slot home to restore Shepshed's lead.

Five minutes added time was played, but Shepshed held firm to seal a 3-2 win and with it the Loughborough Charity Cup for the 2014-15 season.