Report by North Derbyshire Radio’s David Bell
Dronfield Town made it back-to-back wins and four games unbeaten in an entertaining 3-2 encounter with Clipstone FC. Max Rhodes opened the scoring for Town and their lead was doubled through an excellent volley from Charlie Stewart. Clipstone pulled one back just before half time through Lewis Weaver and despite a bright start to the second 45 minutes from the visitors, Dronfield went 3-1 up with a goal from Dan Shelbourne. Jack Thatcher’s penalty kick led to a tense final quarter of an hour but it was the North Derbyshire who held on for the three points to maintain their tenth place status. Town now face Sandiacre next Saturday, a team they encountered just a fortnight ago when the sides drew 1-1.
Both sides took a while to settle on an understandably heavy surface. When they did, it was Clipstone’s Niall Edge who was grateful to hold on to Callum Mawbey’s back post header with 7 minutes gone.
Clipstone produced their first shot in anger two minutes later when Jack Thatcher’s left footed effort soared well over the crossbar but from thereon, the game was fast paced and full of attacking momentum.
Dronfield took the lead on 13 minutes. Arran Bovill spun his man and played a neat through ball to Max Rhodes. The front man out-paced his defender and fired a low shot into the back of the net to put Town in front by 1-0.
That lead became two on 23 minutes. An outstanding left-footed volley from the edge of the penalty area by Charlie Stewart flew through a crowd of players and past Edge in the Clipstone goal as the score became 2-0.
Dronfield looked threatening on wave after wave of attack and the 34th minute saw Edge have to back-pedal and punch away Connor Chapell’s inswinging free kick from some considerable distance out.
Edge tipped over from Max Rhodes on another scintillating drive forward but it was the visitors who pulled one back four minutes before the break.
Lewis Weaver got free of the attentions of the Dronfield defence and unleashed a left-footed drive that Lewis Naylor could only palm into the back of the net as the teams went in at half time with the score at 2-1.
Clipstone also started the second half brightly. The Dronfield defence was exposed once again as Thatcher tapped over the bar when clean through and then five minutes later, Luke Bacon blasted over on the half volley when he really should have hit the target.
Dronfield got their third on 58 minutes. A nearside corner wasn’t cleared by the visitors and Dan Shelbourne was on hand to fire in from six yards out to once again open up a two goal advantage.
Matty Ord, who was at the heart of many of Dronfield’s attacking moves, produced a super cross from the left flank that fizzed across the face of goal but Max Rhodes was just unable to get a final touch to the ball that would have given the home side a fourth.
Clipstone got a lifeline back into the game on 72 minutes. The Notts side’s Tom Fleet was heavy handedly upended in the box by Callum Mawbey leaving the referee no option but to point to the spot. Jack Thatcher despatched the ball past Lewis Naylor from the penalty to make it 3-2.
Niall Edge saved from Max Rhodes goalbound attempt on the line a couple of minutes after and while it took some eleven men behind the ball defending for the final quarter of an hour, it was Dronfield who held on for all three points.
Dronfield cemented themselves in 10th place with the win, three points ahead of Sandiacre Town in 11th. Sandiacre is Dronfield’s next destination on Saturday, fresh from a 1-1 draw at the Stonelow Stadium between the two teams a fortnight ago.
Dronfield Town: Naylor, Reardon, Simpkins, Stewart, Shelbourne, Mawbey, Chapell, Bovill, Rhodes, Walker, Ord. Subs: Bebbington, Marah, Watters, White, Gladwin.
Clipstone FC: Edge, Russell, Bacon K, Batty, Reeves, Hardy, Fleet, Wilson, Weaver, Bacon L, Thatcher. Subs: Brown, Baines, Thompson, Monington, Hodgkinson.
Attendance: 112
