Corby Town 1 Shepshed Dynamo 1 – Jon Dunham’s verdict

In what was a game full of typical end-of-season fare, the Steelmen looked to be heading for defeat when they trailed in the second half before Kamy Gille was sent-off.

But Sandy headed home a cross from centre-half sparring partner Lewis White to secure a share of the spoils.

The Steelmen started brightly enough and Sam Moore headed over from a James Clifton cross.

Corby did have the ball in the net twice in the first half but White’s effort was ruled out for a foul while, later on, Connor Furey slotted home well, only for his celebrations to be cut short by an offside flag.

In between, Dempsey Arlott-John dragged an effort wide for the visitors while, at the other end, Sandy forced Brandon Ganley into a save with a decent strike after a free-kick had been recycled.

But it was Shepshed who opened the scoring five minutes into the second half.

And it was a moment to forget for Ben Garwood as his backpass towards Ben Heath was wayward and Dempsey Arlott-John nipped in and went round the goalkeeper before scoring into the empty net.

It almost got worse soon after when Arlott-John got through and, again, he went round Heath but Garwood redeemed himself with a last-ditch challenge to deny Reece Morris after the ball had been played back into the danger area.

There wasn’t much in a way of a response from the Steelmen until the final 15 minutes as Moore and then White both forced Ganley into saves.

But the game looked to be up for Corby when they were reduced to 10 men with eight minutes to go.

The Steelmen had claims for a penalty waved away and then, as Shepshed broke, Gille brought down Matt Melbourne and was shown a straight red card by referee Ryan Dix.

But Corby regrouped and they grabbed a deserved equaliser on 88 minutes.

White broke forward and charged down the left-hand side before delivering a cross into the danger area and Sandy, pushed up from the back, finished it off with an excellent header.

On the balance of play, the Steelmen were worth that goal.

But this game always had an end-of-season feel about it. Both clubs will be looking forward to the summer and regrouping for the next campaign.

Corby: Heath; Garwood, Sandy, White, Gille; Curtis; Gee (sub Hartley, 57 mins), O’Brien, Clifton, Furey; Moore. Subs not used: Grubor, Kennedy, Newell-Hollely, Taylor.

Shepshed: Ganley; Harper, Doy, O’Neil-Brooks, Medrano; Prenderville, McMillan (sub Sneddon, 85 mins); King, Melbourne (sub Kanga, 89 mins), Morris; Arlott-John (sub Rogers, 77 mins). Subs not used: Whymark.

Referee: Ryan Dix.

Goals: Arlott-John (50 mins, 0-1), Sandy (88 mins, 1-1).

Bookings: Doy, Harper (both fouls), Melbourne (dissent).

Sending-off: Gille (professional foul).

Northants Telegraph man-of-the-match: Elliot Sandy - the captain looked fairly solid at the heart of the defence for the most part. And, after being pushed up front, he popped up with the deserved equaliser for the 10 men.

Attendance: 494.