Report by North Derbyshire Radio’s David Bell
Five unbeaten and just two defeats in the last nine games, whichever superlative you choose, Dronfield Town’s 2-0 win away at Southwell City was another impressive display in a growing series of excellent performances. Callum Mawbey’s 24th minute header set the ball rolling and with Luke Walker’s calm finish with 10 minutes to go, Town banished memories of a 6-0 reverse against the same team five months ago. Dronfield’s good run sees them climb to eighth in the UCL Division One table ahead of an Easter weekend that sees them visit promotion-seeking Coalville Town and welcome near-neighbours Swallownest FC to Stonelow on Monday.
The playing surface at Southwell’s Centenary Ground was hard and bouncy and it looked the case that whichever team adapted to the pitch would go on to take the contest.
Southwell put in a dangerous early cross from Akand Gangotra that Dronfield did well to survive but only a couple of minutes later, Sam Bebbington’s long throw was headed on by Callum Mawbey, only to evade the boot of the arriving Arran Bovill.
Dronfield finally got to grips with the pitch and on 17 minutes, Sam Bebbington unleashed a volley from the edge of the box that only went narrowly wide.
Town deservedly took the lead on 24 minutes. Following a series of testing inswinging corners by Connor Chapell, yet another was finally met by the head of Callum Mawbey, who planted it firmly in the back of the net to make it 1-0.
The pacy Southwell front line were never too far away though and on 32 minutes, Gangotra pounced on a defensive lapse by Dronfield’s goalscorer, forcing a decent low save out of Lewis Naylor.
Three minutes from the interval, Dronfield fought to win a lost cause and as a result, Chapell fired narrowly over the bar from 18 yards out.
In first half added time, Southwell’s Ayeal Dill was sinbinned, leaving them to negotiate the opening stages of the second half with only 10 men.
Southwell did weather the early pressure from Town, Dill returning to the game in the 57th minute and moments after, Gangotra’s right wing delivery was just too far for his outstretched boot.
Southwell managed another shot from the lively Chris Okoye that was well wide of the mark and Dronfield went to five at the back as the action became even more fast and furious.
They needn’t have worried however as on the 80th minute, they sealed the win. Luke Walker neatly controlled Niall Butchart’s long ball forward and raced through the centre of Southwell’s defence to finish cleanly and put Dronfield two to the good.
Town’s dominance continued to the end of the game, Chapell’s left footed half volley going literally inches wide of Richard Stainby’s far post with four minutes of the contest left.
The win sees Dronfield climb to eighth position from tenth with four games of the UCL Division One season remaining. Town travel to third ranked Coalville Town on Saturday, a side they actually beat on the opening day of the campaign and then play host to Swallownest FC in a local derby at the Stonelow Stadium on Bank Holiday Monday. On current form, a top ten finish would be just reward for a positive first season in the United Counties League.
Southwell City: Stainby, Johnson, Warner, Bryant, Peace-McDonald, Steer, Gangotra, Stocks, Dill, Bennison, Okoye. Subs: Crew, Selby, Jatta, Glover, Anderson.
Dronfield Town: Naylor, Reardon, Stewart, Butchart, Gladwin, Mawbey, Chapell, Bovill, Rhodes, Walker, Bebbington. Subs: Watters, Simpkins, McKenzie-Grey, Appleyard, Pashley.
Attendance: 68
Image: Phil Passingham
