Report by North Derbyshire Radio’s David Bell
Dronfield Town got back to winning ways in emphatic fashion with a comprehensive 5-0 victory over Holwell Sports. Two early Max Rhodes goals gave Town a solid half time advantage. Rhodes went on to complete his hat-trick with a second half penalty and with further strikes from Arthur Pashley and Arran Bovill, Dronfield could be satisfied with a well-deserved three points. The victory sees Chris Millington’s side climb to fourteenth in the UCL Division One table ahead of an international weekend visit to Nottingham-based West Bridgford.
Dronfield began the game on the front foot, something that has been lacking during their barren spell. The seventh minute saw a good left wing cross by Arthur Pashley nicked off the boot of Max Hatton by the Holwell defence as Town went on the offensive.
Chances were at a premium for the visitors but a Pharrell Waite right-footed attempt from the left hand channel was well saved by Lewis Naylor in the ninth minute.
Dronfield took the lead just two minutes later. A long throw from the left touchline was cheekily backheeled into the net at close quarters by Max Rhodes to open his account nine games after rejoining the club from Wakefield AFC.
Rhodes wasted no time in getting his second. The sixteenth minute saw a mazy run from the dangerous Arthur Pashley ending with a good save from Holwell stopper Alfie Hoskins. Unfortunately for Hoskins, the ball only rebounded as far as Rhodes, who stabbed home to make it 2-0.
Rhodes could have claimed a first half hat-trick. A delightful through ball by Isaac Reardon put Rhodes in the clear but Hoskins made a good one-on-one save to prevent the prolific striker reaching the landmark.
The half ended with Lewis Naylor making a fine stop to his right hand side from Rian Bryce’s nine yard snap shot but that was about as good as it got for the Melton Mowbray-based visitors.
The second half was almost one way traffic. Holwell made a brighter start to the second 45 minutes with a couple of long range efforts but from then on, it was all about Dronfield.
The third goal came on 56 minutes. A super ball forward by Liam Vardy fell into the path of Arthur Pashley. The young winger lifted the ball over Hoskins on the half volley from the edge of the box to claim very well deserved place on the score sheet.
Max Rhodes finally did get his hat-trick on 71 minutes. Substitute Arran Bovill was tripped at the edge of the area, leaving the referee no option but to point to the penalty spot. Rhodes placed the spot kick low to Hoskins’ left for his third and Town’s fourth of the game.
The scoring for the day was wrapped up in the 75th minute. Leading scorer Arran Bovill produced an opportunist left-footed volley from the edge of the area that swerved and flew into the net in an instant to make it 5-0 to Town.
Dronfield had the luxury of running their full bench and even a late point-blank stop by Naylor from Holwell’s Alan Magiera couldn’t mar a comprehensive victory.
The win lifts Dronfield two places up the UCL Division One table into fourteenth. Town hit the road once again on Saturday when a sizeable local following travel down to West Bridgford to see if the North Derbyshire outfit can repeat their 2-0 victory over the Nottingham-based side from earlier in the campaign.
Dronfield Town: Naylor, Vardy, Stewart, Appleyard, Shelbourne, Mawbey, Reardon, Hatton, Rhodes, Walker, Pashley. Subs: Bancroft, Chapell, Bovill, White, Gladwin.
Holwell Sports: Hoskins, Keya, Smith, Riley, Taylor, Newton, Bryce, Fuller, Onelum, Kimani, Waite. Subs: Stuart, Ukatu, Magiera, Omorogbe, Jones.
Attendance: 85
