SHEPSHED DYNAMO 1

ROSSENDALE UNITED 1

ROSSENDALE United failed to take all three points from this must win game, but they only had themselves to blame after wasting several chances in a first half they totally dominated.

Dale were almost made to pay the ultimate penalty and, but for Chris Brooks' last minute equaliser, they would have come away from Leicestershire with nothing.

The Dark Lane side created four excellent chances in the opening 25 minutes and the game would have been over as a contest but for some poor finishing. It took just two minutes for Rossendale to break through the Shepshed rearguard, but Bradley Clegg fired over the crossbar from eight yards following a short corner.

The home side almost snatched the lead themselves three minutes later -- Steve Gomm was sent clear by a long ball over the top but despite beating player-manager Mark Molyneaux to the ball, Dale full back Chris Jones managed to race back to clear off the line.

Brooks was sent clear on goal but pulled his shot wide when he should have scored, and the midfielder missed his second good chance on 15 minutes, hitting his shot over the bar after Lee Wilkinson had played him in.

Brooks turned provider only for Wilkinson to miss the target, before Brooks made it a hat-trick of near misses as his shot was well blocked with the keeper beaten following good work from Stuart Tulloch.

The second half was much more even but, despite their extra possession, Shepshed rarely threatened Molyneaux in the Dale goal. When they did break through, the veteran keeper was up to the task, saving well from Gomm and then palming out Tom Lambert's header from the resulting corner.

The home side took the lead with 15 minutes remaining.

Paul Gamble broke down the left and was allowed to run unchallenged into the area before squaring the ball to Matt Dorrain, who rolled the ball into an empty net.

With the game becoming more scrappy, Dale looked to be coming away with nothing. That was until Shepshed keeper Gary Hateley made a hash of a long ball played into the area and Brooks chipped it over the stranded keeper into the net to rescue a valuable point for the valley side.