Shepshed Dynamo 0, Evesham Utd 1

A THIRD successive clean sheet and a ninth goal in 11 league games from Mark Shepherd earned the Robins three points on their travels last Saturday.

A rock-hard bumpy surface made for a scrappy encounter at Dovecote but the visitors were full value for the win that keeps them on track for a top six finish.

Phil Mullen switched personnel with Nathan Jukes slipping comfortably into the space vacated by injured central defender Paul West.

Craig Ladek again deputised for the injured Tim Hart, while Shepherd and Wesley Joyce were reinstated up front.

The game's only goal came courtesy of a long free-kick from Jukes that Shepherd hooked over home keeper Andrew Harland with just nine minutes on the clock.

Ladek was a virtual spectator in the first half when Grant Pinkney twice went close and Jukes hit another dead ball over the top.

Daniel Gainsford headed wide from a corner after the restart before a nasty bobble foiled Joyce as he attempted to find the empty net after rounding Harland on the hour.

Ladek saved well from Damian Heskey before Joyce found the side-netting after a typical surging run.

United had an escape 20 minutes from time when Scott Mackey directed a free header wide.

The visitors just couldn't find that elusive second goal but it almost came on the stroke of full time when Inderpaul Khela's volley from a Joyce cross saw Harland produce the save of the afternoon when Shepherd's strike separated the sides.