Report by North Derbyshire Radio’s David Bell
Dronfield Town’s first game for a fortnight ended with a 3-1 defeat at the hands of Radford FC. The game was played at a lively pace as Radford’s Abdul Bakare gave them a first half lead from the penalty spot. An unfortunate rebound saw Bakare claim his second on 69 minutes before Dronfield substitute Arthur Pashley set up an intriguing finish with 12 minutes to play. Dronfield failed to find the leveller however and Radford claimed all three points through Musa Jawara deep into added time with the score at 3-1. Town remain in 13th place despite the loss and head to 5th placed Stapleford Town on Saturday, keen to prove that their earlier 5-0 reversal to the Notts side back in October was merely a blip.
Dronfield made a bright and lively start. Just three minutes had elapsed when Callum Mawbey’s left wing cross was met by Max Rhodes, who brought out an early save from Radford keeper Edward Cooper.
Town kept up the pressure with four threatening Charlie Stewart corners in quick succession and on the 18 minute mark, an excellent flick on by Luke Walker ended with Jack Bancroft firing over the bar from distance.
Radford’s front three were a handful all evening and after Cooper had misjudged a Stewart cross, the visitors went immediately up the other end, forcing a low stop out of Dronfield’s Lewis Naylor.
Indeed, it was Radford who took the lead on 29 minutes. Logan Dimmock-Fox got down the left flank and squared for Abdul Bakare, who was brought down by Liam Vardy in the area. Vardy collected a yellow card for his trouble and Bakare dinked the penalty to Lewis Naylor’s right to put the visitors one goal to the good.
Radford were clearly buoyed by the advantage and before the break had another decent effort; Mason Garmston’s goalbound shot being blocked by the Dronfield defence as the sides went in at 1-0 at half time.
There was no let up in the pace of the game after the interval. Two minutes after the resumption, another lively Bakare run ended with Garmston’s rising shot going narrowly wide.
Just a couple of minutes later, a delightful flick by Max Rhodes played in Arran Bovill for Dronfield. His right wing cross saw a sliding Luke Walker just get his boot to the ball but not enough to force it into the net.
The sides traded blows as next Harry Goddard for Radford saw his 18 yard strike bounce just wide of Lewis Naylor’s left hand post.
Radford got their second on 69 minutes in unfortunate circumstances. Lewis Naylor’s attempted clearance rebounded off the oncoming Bakare and he had the simple task of tapping into the empty net to put Radford up by 2-0.
Dronfield set up an intriguing final twelve minutes by pulling a goal back. An excellent run and cross by Max Rhodes down the right flank found substitute Arthur Pashley ghosting in front of his man to glance home from close range and make the score 2-1.
Rhodes had an 18 yard strike beaten away by Cooper in the Radford goal as the game entered a lengthy period of added time but Dronfield were unable to find the game-levelling goal that they needed.
Radford wrapped up the three points nine minutes into stoppage time. Substitute Musa Jawara was adjudged to have beaten the offside trap, rounding Lewis Naylor and tapping into the empty net to secure the win at 3-1.
Dronfield looked a little below par given their enforced two week lay off due to the adverse weather conditions but they know they will be back in action on Saturday on the 3G surface at fifth placed Stapleford Town. The Notts side were 5-0 victors at the Stonelow Stadium back in October so Chris Millington’s team will have a point to prove in the return game.
Dronfield Town: Naylor, Vardy, Stewart, Appleyard, White, Mawbey, Ord, Bovill, Rhodes, Walker, Bancroft. Subs: Pashley, Thorpe, Reardon, Simpkins, Gladwin.
Radford FC: Cooper, Brown, Hare, Patterson, Tambini, Mushambi, Garmston, Rooke, Goddard, Bakare, Dimmock-Fox. Subs: Dunwell, Wilkerson, Mellors, Morgan, Jawara.
Attendance: 79
