Report by North Derbyshire Radio’s David Bell
Dronfield Town suffered an abandonment on the road at Sandiacre Town in their latest fixture. The two sides managed to get 45 minutes of football in with Sandiacre leading by 1-0 through Player-Manager Jamie Williamson’s 29th minute header. However, heavy rain for the last 20 minutes of the half led to the match referee calling a halt to proceedings at the interval. The two sides will re-match on Tuesday 24th February with Dronfield’s tenth place standing and Sandiacre’s twelfth ranking remaining unchanged.
Dronfield were unchanged for the third game in a row thanks to a four game unbeaten run and started the brighter. The opening minute saw Sandiacre’s Harrison Leech save from Arran Bovill’s header after a high Isaac Reardon cross.
Bovill produced a very useful flick-on into the path of Max Rhodes two minutes later. A good sliding effort from the Dronfield forward forced Leech to parry away to safety.
Given the closeness in league position for the two teams, it was always likely that hosts Sandiacre would never be too far away. Kye Wade’s low shot in the seventh minute just skipped past Lewis Naylor’s left hand post.
A period of stalemate ensued but as the rainfall turned from light to heavy, it was the home side who began to dominate the contest. An accurate through ball once again put Wade in the clear but Naylor pulled off a point blank stop to keep Dronfield in the contest.
Sandiacre scored from the resulting corner however. A deep set piece to the back post found the head of Sandiacre Player-Manager Jamie Williamson and his looping effort found the back of the net despite several attempts to scramble it clear from Dronfield.
Sandiacre number nine Harry Goddard was completely unmarked from a thirty fifth minute free kick but was unable to control the ball as conditions worsened.
The teams made it to the half time break but a consultation in the middle of the pitch between the officials and respective management teams saw the game curtailed with the score at 1-0.
The fixture has been rearranged for Tuesday 24th February and despite other games going ahead, Dronfield and Sandiacre remain in 10th and 12th respectively. Next up for Dronfield is a Tuesday evening encounter a short way down the M1 at South Normanton Athletic.
Sandiacre Town: Leech, Durose, Williams, Brandon, McGrath, Williamson J, Smith, Williamson L, Goddard, Wade, Spencer. Subs: Godwin, Burrows, Vipond, Hlabangana, Hines.
Dronfield Town: Naylor, Reardon, Simpkins, Stewart, Shelbourne, Mawbey, Chapell, Bovill, Rhodes, Walker, Ord. Subs: Bebbington, Marah, Watters, White, Gladwin.
Attendance: 60
