City returned from The Dovecote Stadium with maximum points after another impressive performance on the road, this time against an in form Shepshed Dynamo. 

City could name the same starting eleven which performed so well against Halesowen last time out, with only Matty Miles and Scott Bridges unavailable through their respective injuries. 

The opening exchanges were cagey and it was clear from early on that this was going to be a tightly fought contest. Both sides dealt with any threat comfortably and goal scoring opportunities were at a premium. Taylor Parr made a good clearance for City after 16 mins before an audacious long range attempt from Jarid Robson from the angle had the keeper beaten but flew narrowly past the far top corner.

Five minutes before the break Jake Battersby made a crucial goal line clearance for City following a corner and right on half time a delicious cross from Robson narrowly evaded a stretching Ryan Ingrey, Dan Cotton managed to hook the ball back into the danger zone but the home team survived and it was all square at the break after a largely uneventful first half. 

City were playing down the slope in the second half and increasing the pressure on the home side. In the 53rd minute Tommy Rigby had a good shot deflected wide. A minute later the deadlock was broken when Jake Battersby tried his luck from range, home keeper Brandon Ganley could only spill the ball and Tom Waumsley was in the right place to force the lose ball home.

By this point City seemed to carry the greater threat but Shepshed captain Jake Betts tested Joe Welsh with a thumping header just after the hour mark. 

With less than 15 minutes to play Tommy Rigby was felled just outside the Shepshed area after a bursting run but in the process sustained an injury to his shoulder and was replaced soon after by Ben Bradley. 

Some fine wing play by Ben Nolan saw him drive into the box on 79 minutes, he passed to Ingrey who laid it back to Nolan whose shot was deflected wide for a City corner. From another City corner Ingrey saw his header go just over the bar and in the 89th minute City substitute Mikey Davis had a good shot saved from an excellent City move. 

Into added time and as Shepshed pressed in search of a late leveller, City broke and Ingrey found himself in the clear but his powerful shot was parried well by keeper Ganley to prevent the coup de grace. 

That was the last meaningful action and City celebrated a deserved win from a hard fought match. A lot of credit must go to the City defence who limited Shepshed, who have scored plenty of goals in recent matches, to very few opportunities. 

The Lilywhites return to action this Wednesday night at home to Hinckley LRFC. Kick off 7.45pm. 

Dan Barnes

Photographs by that 70s DJ