Report by North Derbyshire Radio’s David Bell
A much-changed Dronfield Town side exited the Derbyshire Senior Challenge Cup at the second round stage with a 4-0 defeat at the hands of Glossop North End. Town made eight changes from the team that started against Louth in the league last Saturday and went in at the break 2-0 down thanks to two in two minutes from Ethan Sutcliffe and Jake Barnes. The Step 5 side, who ply their trade in the North West Counties Premier Division, added a further brace through Nat Fontaine in the second 45 minutes to secure their passage through to round three. Having cast his eye over some fresh options, Manager Lewis Naylor now leads his side back into the bread and butter of the league with a visit to tenth-placed Sandiacre Town on Saturday.
Both sides made a lively start but it was evident that Dronfield’s visitors from over the Snake Pass were going to be a tough nut to break. Nat Fontaine cut in from the left hand side on 15 minutes and hit a decent drive that brought out a useful save from Tom Hill in the Dronfield goal.
Glossop continued to go on the front foot and it took a last ditch tackle from Harrison Ireland to prevent the visitors going ahead on 20 minutes.
They did take the lead two minutes later however. The Town defence lost their shape as Jake Barnes squared for Glossop’s leading scorer Ethan Sutcliffe to finish comfortably from close range to make it 1-0.
It only took a further minute for the lead to become two. Barnes was again afforded too much time and picked his spot to rifle home from 12 yards out and double the visitors advantage.
The best that Dronfield could offer was an Emmanuel Rogers shot that bobbled in front of Glossop stopper Noah Worthington but was comfortably claimed by the young keeper.
Tensions rose on the stroke of half time with an altercation between Glossop’s Dylan McMahon and Dronfield’s Jack Worrall that spilled over on to the path up to the changing rooms but thankfully things had calmed down by the time the teams emerged for the second half.
Four minutes after the resumption, Glossop got their third of the evening. A deep cross from the right hand side was met by Nat Fontaine at the back post and his stabbed effort somehow found it’s way past Tom Hill in the Dronfield goal with the score at 3-0.
The game went into a lull as both sides went to their benches and the contest effectively over but it was Glossop who eventually confirmed their passage to the next stage.
Hill tipped a long range effort from Harry Olufowobi round the post before the Hillmen got their fourth and final goal of the night.
The ball fell conveniently to Fontaine, who was able to take it round Hill and put it into the net for his second of the night and to make the score 4-0.
Fontaine almost claimed his hat-trick ten minutes from time but pulled his shot wide of the post from 18 yards out and there was still time for Glossop’s Connor Gant to beat the offside trap but Hill produced another decent save at the substitute’s feet.
While the loss and exit from the Cup was a disappointment for Lewis Naylor’s side, the Town management team were able to cast an eye over several players and formations that will give them options for the league programme to follow. That league programme continues on Saturday when Dronfield head down the M1 to Sandiacre Town, looking to bring about a reversal in their fortunes and start to climb the standings.
Dronfield Town: Hill, Gilbank, Leader, Appleyard, Ireland, White, Watters, Worrall, Walker, Rogers, Martin. Subs: Gyasi, Kargbo, Bebbington, Mawbey, Lester.
Glossop North End: Worthington, McMahon, Bardsley, Olufowobi, Schofield, Parker, Parkinson, Belski, Sutcliffe, Barnes, Fontaine. Subs: Dielunvuidi, Gant, Kvatemik, Limpitshi, Dunwoody.
Attendance: 93
