Another league double was on the table this afternoon for Shepshed Dynamo as they hosted play-off chasers Sporting Khalsa. Dynamo had dealt Khalsa a 3-1 defeat in the West Midlands back in November and went into today's match looking for more of the same.

Shepshed lined up with Jordan Fankwe and Jude Collins in the starting eleven with Jack Rogers and Tayo Tucker dropping to the bench. Khalsa began with a familiar face between the sticks as former Dynamo ‘keeper Brandon Ganley returned to the Dovecote.

The game kicked off in the spring sunshine but it was the visitors who began the brighter. After 22 minutes, Khalsa had their first sight of the Shepshed goal. James McGrady slipped attacker Simeon Cobourne in down the left of the penalty area with space to shoot. Cobourne’s resulting effort rolled wide of Dan Wallis’ far post, letting Dynamo off the hook.

Seven minutes later, Cobourne was back causing more headaches for the Shepshed defence. A ball over the top left the Khalsa striker in a tussle with Chad Timson inside the area. Cobourne wriggled free of Timson’s challenge and slotted a neat finish past Wallis and into the far corner. A deserved opening lead for the visitors.

Sporting Khalsa looked to double their lead on 35 minutes following a pinpoint cross into the Dynamo penalty area from the left. The ever-dangerous Cobourne swung in an inviting ball that was attacked by captain Kristian Green. The Khalsa skipper’s bullet header flew just wide of the far post from 12 yards out.

It took 41 minutes for Shepshed to register a solid effort on Ganley’s goal. A half volley from 25 yards out, courtesy of Louis Samuels, dipped narrowly over the crossbar. Samuels effort would be the final action of the first half.

Gary Drake looked to send his troops out for the second half fired up and ready to take the game to the visitors. Unfortunately, Khalsa were in no mood to drop their performance level. After 63 minutes, they came close to a second goal. Chay Tilt sped away down the right and delivered a low cross into the six-yard box. Chad Timson’s attempt to deal with the danger facing his own goal resulted in the defender’s clearance narrowly missing Wallis’ far post.

Sporting Khalsa then had the ball in the net on 65 minutes. A thunderous, low strike from James McGrady from 20 yards found the bottom corner. As Khalsa celebrated, their joy was cut short as the linesman’s flag confirmed an offside and the goal was disallowed.

As the clock ticked closer to 90 minutes, the visitors finally got their second goal. Simeon Cobourne latched onto a searching ball down the right and closed in on goal. After tricking his way through the remaining Dynamo defenders, Cobourne fired a low, hard shot under Wallis and gave Khalsa an 87th minute goal that surely had the points heading back to the West Midlands.

To their credit, Shepshed didn’t throw in the towel. A hefty chunk of stoppage time gave the home side a chance to salvage something from the contest. Declan Peart’s long throw in the 95th minute caused confusion in the Khalsa penalty area. The ball eventually fell to Callum Burkey to blast an arrowed 8-yard drive into Ganley’s far corner to halve the deficit.

Sadly for Shepshed, it was too little too late. A deserved win for the visitors Sporting Khalsa who gain revenge on Dynamo and close in on the play-off pack. Shepshed’s unbeaten run comes to an end but a home game next Saturday against Rugby Town gives Gary Drake’s men a chance to return to winning ways.

Dynamo: Wallis,Timson, Nicholson, Cox, Peart, Burkey, Dixon, Fankwe, Collins (Tucker 68’), Samuels, Troke (Korpal 54’)

Sporting Khalsa: Ganley, Green (Franco 89’), Grewal-Pollard, Kourouyianni, Ward, Adegoke (Robinson 89’), Tilt (Campbell 89’), Ferrier (Dolman 66’), Marselia (Adamu 79’), Cobourne, McGrady

Attendance: 208