Report by North Derbyshire Radio’s David Bell
It was a disappointing afternoon for Dronfield Town as they matched up against Maltby Main FC for the first time in a year and a half. The two sides used to meet regularly during their time in the Northern Counties East League but the first encounter between the two in the United Counties League ended in a 3-0 victory for the visitors from South Yorkshire. A sixth minute opener from Shaun Tai was followed by Matthew France doubling their lead on the stroke of half time after Sam Bebbington missed a penalty for Town in the interim period. Joshua McKay sealed the points with a 50th minute free kick and to add insult to injury, Dronfield saw Alex Appleyard dismissed for a straight red and Ryan Watters for a second yellow card to end the game with nine men. Town now need to pick themselves up for a tricky-looking away trip to Harrowby United next Saturday.
The game couldn’t have begun in worse fashion for Dronfield. Just six minutes had elapsed when Aston Thompson’s clearance in the box rebounded off the onrushing Shaun Tai and into the goal to give Maltby a 1-0 lead.
Maltby looked to capitalise on a lively start and on 15 minutes, Matthew France’s teasing cross from the right saw his team-mates unable to apply the finishing touch.
Dronfield finally started to apply themselves from the mid-period of the half. On 26 minutes, Connor Chapell’s left footed effort from the edge of the box was cleared off the line by Joshua McKay.
Two minutes later, Sam Bebbington’s pull back from the bye line was put wide of the goal by the advancing Ryan Watters.
Town had a guilt-edged chance to get back on level terms on 35 minutes. Callum Martin went down in the area as the referee pointed confidently to the spot. Sam Bebbington lifted the penalty kick over the crossbar as opportunity turned to despair.
It was Maltby who finished the half the stronger. Two minutes before the break, the lively Tai found himself in the clear but he dragged his shot wide of Lewis Naylor’s right hand post.
The stroke of half time saw them double their lead however. A long ball forward found France unmarked on the right flank and he raced on and slipped the ball past Naylor to make it 2-0.
The second half began equally as abjectly for Dronfield. Five minutes after the resumption, Joshua McKay curled a low 25 yard free kick into the bottom corner of Lewis Naylor’s goal to give Maltby their third.
That should have become four just six minutes after as Tai nipped in past Naylor and Thompson but saw fit to head over the bar with the goal unoccupied.
The closest Dronfield came to a goal was on 69 minutes when Connor Chapell’s 20 yard free kick thundered off the crossbar but things went from bad to worse a minute later.
A series of niggly challenges between both teams ended with an over-reaction from Dronfield’s Alex Appleyard, who saw red for his troubles.
Town ran their bench but without any dramatic effect before Maltby’s Sam Limber forced a save out of Lewis Naylor with a fierce shot from the edge of the box with a minute to play.
Dronfield’s ten men became nine in added time with Ryan Watters picking up a second yellow card and the men from North Derbyshire were left to rue an afternoon where they hadn’t been at the races.
Town fall to 13th in the league as a result and must pick themselves up for a visit to Grantham to take on 7th placed Harrowby United, who were playing step 5 football last season.
Dronfield Town: Naylor, Reardon, Leader, Appleyard, Thompson, Ireland, Chapell, Watters, Rhodes, Bebbington, Martin. Subs: Rogers, Worrall, Benaissa, Simpkins, Walker.
Maltby Main: Buxton, Elam, Boot, Cotson, McKay, Myers, France, Limber, Pawson, Richards, Tai. Subs: Dumitrescu, McKernan, Finley, Smith, Kamsika.
Attendance: 124
