Report by North Derbyshire Radio’s David Bell
They might have left it late but Dronfield Town were pleased to secure their first win of the new United Counties Football League season with a 2-1 success over Pinchbeck United. The Lincolnshire-based visitors took a 13th minute lead in slightly controversial circumstances through the pacy Brenden Parker. Things worsened for Dronfield with the sinbinning just before half time of Ryan Watters but the men from S18 dug deep to equalise through Max Rhodes on 79 minutes. The win was sealed five minutes into added time when a Callum Mawbey header hit the back of the net to keep all three points in North East Derbyshire. Dronfield now have a swift turnaround to the visit of Swallownest FC on Tuesday evening for a local derby encounter.
Visitors Pinchbeck asserted themselves in the early stages of the game and it took a while for Dronfield to get a foothold. Indeed, it was the Sleaford-based side who took the lead on 13 minutes.
The match referee blew for a questionable foul committed by Dronfield’s Aston Thompson. Pinchbeck took a quick free kick, arguably some way from where the offence was allegedly committed and fed the lively Brenden Parker. He raced through on goal unchallenged and finished low past Lewis Naylor to put Pinchbeck up by 1-0.
Buoyed by their lively start, Pinchbeck’s Emilio Mead produced a right wing cross moments later that was almost poked in at the near post by Parker.
When Dronfield did finally get a hold, a neat stepover from Jack Worrall was followed by a useful shot that brought out a decent save from Caleb Pipes-Goulsbra.
The half hour mark saw a delightful passing move that ended with Pinchbeck scrambling to clear from an advancing Max Rhodes. Dronfield suffered a further setback two minutes from half time however when Ryan Watters was sinbinned, leaving the hosts down to ten men for a spell either side of the interval.
They survived that spell however but not before Parker had raced on to another long ball but slid his shot past Naylor’s right hand post just before the hour mark.
The final half hour belonged to Dronfield. On 63 minutes, Jack Worrall’s shot from a goalmouth scramble was going wide of the mark but the outstretched boot of Rhodes just failed to steer it goalwards.
Town went to their subs bench in search of further impetus and on 74 minutes, new introduction Callum Martin headed just wide from a teasing left flank delivery.
The equaliser came on 79 minutes. Matty Ord’s free kick on the left hand side was glanced home superbly by the head of Max Rhodes as momentum swung Dronfield’s way.
As the game moved deep into added time, Jack Worrall’s goalbound header brought out an outstanding save from Pipes-Goulsbra but Dronfield weren’t finished there.
In the fifth minute of added time, a nearside corner was met by the head of Callum Mawbey at the back post to put the ball into the net and seal all three points with a 2-1 success.
Dronfield grew visibly in confidence as the game wore on, having played some neat passing football throughout. They will need to continue this ethos on Tuesday evening when local rivals Swallownest FC are the visitors to the Stonelow Stadium.
Dronfield Town: Naylor, Watters, Leader, Appleyard, Thompson, Mawbey, Chapell, Worrall, Rhodes, Walker, Ord. Subs: Reardon, Rogers, Martin, Stewart, Ireland.
Pinchbeck United: Pipes-Goulsbra, Gordon, Balding, Panton, Cranfield, Williams, Mead, Melson, Parker, Young, Ward. Subs: Shinn, Garner.
Attendance: 112
