Report by North Derbyshire Radio’s David Bell
Dronfield Town took the spoils with a terrific derby victory over Staveley MW on Tuesday evening. Chris Simpkins fired Town into the lead in the seventh minute in a first half that they mostly dominated. Staveley were awarded a penalty in the final minute of the half that was put away by Nathan Moss but it was Dronfield who secured all three points when Luke Walker forced the ball in from a Ryan Watters long throw to make the score 2-1. Town remain in 12th in the UCL Division One table, just two points from mathematical safety but almost certainly guaranteed to be playing step six football once again in 2026-27. Sleaford Town, fighting for safety at the other end of the table in 19th are the visitors to the Stonelow Stadium on Saturday.
Dronfield began the game strongly and carried that on throughout the opening 45 minutes. The fifth minute saw Staveley keeper Mitchell Leivers save from Arran Bovill and then again on the follow-up from Matty Ord as Town laid down an early signal of intent.
It only took a further minute for Dronfield to take the lead. A delightful give and go between Bovill and Chris Simpkins saw the full back burst through the middle of the penalty box to poke home with his left foot from 12 yards out to make it 1-0 to the hosts.
Dronfield’s domination continued on the quarter of an hour mark when a Bovill shimmy put Sam Bebbington in the clear but the referee adjudged him to have committed a foul as he bore down on goal.
Staveley were limited to a Mitch Langton free kick that went well over Lewis Naylor’s crossbar in this time and the game descended into some tough, typical derby fayre – Ryan Watters succumbing to a particularly robust challenge on the half hour mark that went unpunished by the referee.
Staveley volleyed well over through Will Wraith with five minutes remaining in the half but got a lifeline just before the interval. Nathan Moss went down in seemingly innocuous challenge after a Lewis Naylor miskick and the referee pointed to the spot. Moss dusted himself off and put the penalty to Naylor’s right hand side to send the sides in level at 1-1.
Dronfield were undeterred by the setback. The start of the second half saw the referee award an indirect free kick for a Staveley backpass but Connor Chapell’s strike from 6 yards out was blocked by the mass of bodies on the goal-line.
Town regained the lead on 59 minutes. Ryan Watters long throw from the nearside touchline was flicked on by Callum Mawbey and forced home by Luke Walker at close range to restore the host’s lead at 2-1.
Dronfield even pushed on for a third. A fizzing free kick from the left by Matty Ord was met by the head of Dan Shelbourne but only as far as the arms of the grateful Leivers in the Staveley goal.
Understandably, Town had to weather some late pressure as Staveley looked for an equaliser. Jay Jay Cutts’ useful pull back from the left flank was sliced wide by Wraith when in a handy position and Danny Deakin’s hit when open on the left went well wide of the mark.
However, overall Dronfield were fully deserving of the win against a side that they haven’t had much success over in recent years. Whilst Town remain in 12th despite the victory, they can now focus on looking upwards with ninth place now only three points away. Sleaford Town come to the Stonelow Stadium on Saturday requiring points for their safety so undoubtedly another challenging game is on the cards.
Dronfield Town: Naylor, Reardon, Simpkins, Watters, Shelbourne, Mawbey, Chapell, Bovill, Bebbington, Walker, Ord. Subs: Pashley, Appleyard, Stewart, Butchart, Gladwin.
Staveley MW: Leivers, Reah, Starbuck, Whittaker, Daniel Grierson, Langton, Danny Deakin, Wraith, Havenhand, Moss, Tingle. Subs: Cutts, Phipps, Catt, Jack Deakin, Dustyn Grierson.
Attendance: 102
