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Shepshed Dynamo finished 7th last season in the NPL Midlands Division with 63 points from 42 games. They were just 2 points behind Racing Club Warwick who took the final playoff position and then went on to win the playoffs and promotion.


 

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Pre-season results so far

Belper United  (A)         Step5                won 4-2
Stapleford       (H)         Step 6               won 3-0
Worksop         (A)          Step2                lost 1-3
Clipstone        (A)          Step 6               won 4-2
Barwell           (H)          Step 4               lost  0-1

The opening two games saw us make a good start against step 5 and step 6 opposition. I feared a humiliation at step 2 Worksop but we did better than I expected and the future looked brighter. We then went to step 6 Clipstone and won 4-2.  So far so good after 4 matches. 
Then came Barwell at home. We were outplayed by a step 4 team and hopes of a decent season in the Northern Premier League suddenly nose-dived. Was that a reality check or just a blip? The next match against another Step 4 team Shepshed Dynamo should tell us. 

 

My first visit to the NMG for six months so looking forward to just being there and soaking up the atmosphere and catching up with old friends. I’ve already spotted Mr Hendy in the Burnt Pig and spoke to Donald and his good lady on Wharncliffe Road. I’m hoping that the two teams don’t copy the antics in the World Cup unless we get a 6-4 win for Ilkeston Town!

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Starting eleven
    1 Sam Wilson
    2 Cashmere Rowe
    3 Trialist
    4 Colin Daniel
    5 Pharrell Johnson
    6 Lynden Joyce
    7 Jordan Stevens
    8 Trialist
    9 Jevin Seaton
   10 Sam Newell
   11 Dylan Reason

Bench
12 Ross Lang
14 Trialist
15 Wakefield
16 Green.
17 Trialist 
18 Trialist
19 Trialist

 

Chance for Shepshed. Pharrell to the rescue with a great tackle. 

Goal for Shepshed.   0-1   2 mins

Good Ilkeston move but it ends with a misskick in front of goal.   ilkeston have settled now after a shaky start. 
1-1.   27 mins

Great defending by Pharrell.  Ilkeston are defending well enough but not much threat going forward.      1-1.      44 mins

It took us a while to get going after a shaky start. Eventually we became more comfortable and started playing. 
The Ilkeston players seem to lack confidence.
Pharrell and Cashmere were faultless. The better attacks were started by Stevens. Dylan Reason did okay. Lynden Joyce did alright but needs to play the ball forward rather than back. I’m not convinced about Newell.  No 8 trialist was the most positive player working hard in midfield winning the ball and trying to set up attacks
1-1 was a fair half time scoreline. 

 

Good Ilkeston attack but no one prepared to have a shot at goal.

Newell finds the net but he’s offside. 
Att 171. 

Much better from Ilkeston just now and they win a corner.  Newell fires wide.     1-1    61 mins

It’s a much better game now. Trialist 14 (Anthony Dwyer) has made a difference.

Last edited by Matchman (21/7/2026 8:17 PM)

Matchman wrote:

It’s a much better game now. Trialist 14 (Anthony Dwyer) has made a difference.

Just looked up about Anthony Dwyer and its looks like he cant stay settled .....



 

Last edited by kevilsonlad (21/7/2026 8:35 PM)

Dwyer denied again on the volley. Good save by keeper.

Full time.     Ilkeston 2 Shepshed 1

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In the pre-season games so far, the second half against Shepshed was without doubt the best period of attacking we’ve seen and that came after a poor first half. The improvement had to be down to the introduction of Anthony Dwyer. We need someone like that who makes things happen. 

With no match on Saturday 25th July we have only two more pre-season friendlies and we need at least 4 more players who need to be good quality and preferably Step 3 standard. So far half of the squad are unproven at Step 3 level. Hopefully Tris and Aaron have a few aces up their sleeves that just need finalising.

It’s always been a tough job for Tris and Aaron to put together a team from scratch. They’re trying to bring in their kind of players who will play in the way they want and to create a dressing room of togetherness. All very laudable and I hope that their vision succeeds but they will be judged on Northern Premier League results.