Report by North Derbyshire Radio’s David Bell
A ten-man Dronfield Town earned a thoroughly-deserved point against UCL Division One high-flyers Retford United with a 2-2 draw at a damp Stonelow Stadium. An early Callum Mawbey header was cancelled out by a Lewis Chambers brace for Retford by the mid-point of the first half. Max Rhodes’ strike on the stroke of half time sent the teams in level at the break but Dronfield suffered the blow of having Dan Shelbourne dismissed for denying of a goal scoring opportunity on the hour mark. Despite the setback, some dogged defending from the Derbyshire side saw them fully deserving of a share of the spoils. Town climb to 12th in the table as a result but now have an eleven day break until their next fixture on November 29th at home to Sandiacre Town.
The pitch passed a 5.30pm inspection and the decision to get the game played was fully vindicated from the off.
Dronfield took a fifth minute lead. Charlie Stewart’s inswinging left-footed corner from the far side of the ground was glanced home by the head of Callum Mawbey to put Town ahead by 1-0.
That lead was wiped out in an instant. Retford went up the other end of the pitch and as Brandon Kane’s shot rebounded off the foot of the post, prolific striker Lewis Chambers was on hand to tap home and level matters.
Dronfield, defeated 7-1 by their visitors back in September, looked determined to eradicate memories of that night in a busy and energetic display but went behind on 23 minutes. An innocuous-looking corner saw the hosts failing to clear their lines and Chambers was on hand at the back post to poke the ball into the net and give his side a 2-1 advantage.
To their credit, Dronfield were undeterred and ended the half on a high. The 35th minute saw another dangerous Stewart corner headed back across goal by Dan Shelbourne with Retford blocking Callum Mawbey’s subsequent header at goal.
The game was highly-entertaining for the 158 crowd and four minutes from the break, after Dronfield had gone close through Luke Walker, Retford went immediately up the other end of the field, hitting the post through the unfortunate Kane.
Dronfield’s equaliser came on the stroke of half time. A long throw into the box eventually reached Max Rhodes, who swivelled and drilled home from 6 yards out to make the score 2-2.
The second half continued in a similar fashion. Chambers had a left-footed effort that comfortably missed the mark five minutes after the restart as Dronfield continued to remain competitive with the side ten places in front of them in the table.
Further drama struck on the hour mark. Dronfield’s Dan Shelbourne was adjudged to have been the last man in a challenge with Retford top-scorer Lewis Chambers and was sent from the field for denying a goal scoring opportunity, leaving the hosts to negotiate the final half hour with ten men.
Retford were initially buoyed by the man advantage. Callum Orange had a left-footed strike from the edge of the box go narrowly wide and that was followed by Josh Devereux’s shot being charged down by the Dronfield defence.
The defending was at times frantic but the application and determination from Dronfield was admirable – the closest Retford came to getting a winner was two minutes from time when a low Carlton Carty effort was scrambled out of play by Isaac Reardon, who was excellent as stand-in right back for Town on the night.
The point sees Chris Millington’s side climb two places to 12th in the UCL Division One table as a result. Fixture rescheduling now means that Dronfield face an 11 day layoff from action before returning to the fray on Saturday 29th November when 11th-placed Sandiacre Town are the visitors to the Stonelow Stadium.
Dronfield Town: Naylor, Reardon, Stewart, Ord, Shelbourne, Mawbey, Appleyard, Bovill, Rhodes, Walker, Bancroft. Subs: Pashley, Marah, Fereday, White, Hatton.
Retford United: Smith, Buckthorp, Egginton, Goodwin, Williamson, Hart, Carty, Kane, Chambers, Orange, Devereux. Subs: Fox, Wilson, Lumley, Ashall, Haydock.
Attendance: 158
