Report by North Derbyshire Radio’s David Bell
There was to be no fairytale start for Dronfield Town’s new management team as they went down by 5-1 away at West Bridgford FC. The scoreline was somewhat harsh on the North Derbyshire side with three goals coming in the final ten minutes after the hosts had taken a 2-0 lead in the first half through a Tomas Fleet brace. Max Rhodes pulled one back for Dronfield on the stroke of half time and Town had several opportunities to level matters throughout the second half. However, once Fleet completed his hat-trick on 80 minutes, the floodgates opened with Lamin Jassey and substitute Jamie Newton completing the comprehensive scoreline. Town now need to pick themselves up for a tricky-looking visit to fourth-placed Shirebrook Town next Saturday.
It was a positive front-foot start from Dronfield but it was West Bridgford who took the first opportunity; Jacob Price saving from Lamin Jassey’s low shot on 7 minutes.
Dronfield’s best chance in the early stages saw Callum Martin dispossess two West Bridgford defenders before lobbing home keeper Jake Frestle from 30 yards, the ball bouncing agonisingly wide however.
The hosts took the lead on 16 minutes. With the Dronfield defence stretched, Jassey’s cross from the right found Tomas Fleet, who forced the ball in from close range to make it 1-0.
Despite the setback, Town continued to battle away. Just past the half hour mark, Callum Martin rose above the Bridgford defence to force Frestle into a save from a useful Arran Bovill delivery on the right.
Eight minutes later, another flowing move by the visitors saw Martin fire over the bar in the left channel with only the Bridgford stopper to beat.
West Bridgford doubled their lead on 40 minutes. Dronfield were left wanting defensively once again and the ball fell to Fleet who drilled it home low for his second of the encounter.
Town got a lifeline two minutes into added time in the first half. A neat through ball by Alex Wilkinson found Max Rhodes, who raced on in trademark fashion and finished coolly past Frestle to make it 2-1.
The second half opened with Jacob Price denying Fleet his hat-trick in a one-on-one stop with two minutes played but as the game ebbed and flowed, Dronfield created some key chances.
On 59 minutes, after a testing Dronfield corner, Arran Bovill’s shot rebounded off the post from 12 yards out as the visitors sought an equaliser.
Then, on 68 minutes, another useful through ball put Bovill seemingly in the clear but rather than shoot, he chose to pass to Rhodes as the move broke down.
Town were left to rue the inability to convert those chances as West Bridgford got their third on 80 minutes. Jassey’s cross from the right saw Fleet climb highest and he headed into the bottom corner for his hat-trick and a lead of 3-1.
The goal was a hammer blow to Dronfield, who quickly conceded two more. With four minutes to play, Jassey turned at the top of the area and his shot deflected up off skipper Charlie Stewart and past Price in the Dronfield goal to make it 4-1.
Then, on the stroke of full time, substitute Jamie Newton found a hole in the Dronfield rearguard to slip the ball past Price and complete the scoring at 5-1.
Barring the late goals, Dronfield were competitive for long spells of the encounter but that will come as no consolation as they slip back to 18th in the United Counties League Division One table. Their immediate schedule looks no easier either as they make the relatively short journey to Shirebrook Town, currently 4th in the standings, next week.
West Bridgford: Frestle, Tuckwood, Hardy, Morris, Bird, Shilton, Smith, Felstead, King, Fleet, Jassey. Subs: Lee, Magiera, Baines-Ireland, Newton, Fitch.
Dronfield Town: Price, Bebbington, Stewart, Appleyard, White, Ireland, Reardon, Bovill, Wilkinson, Rhodes, Martin. Subs: Thompson, Watters, Worrall, Rogers, Walker.
Attendance: 69
