Report by North Derbyshire Radio Senior Football Correspondent David Bell
Dronfield Town claimed back to back victories in their quest to secure Step 6 survival with a 2-1 home win over Maltby Main. Town had the best possible start to the encounter on National Non-League Day when Sam Bebbington gave the Derbyshire side a 1-0 lead after only 4 minutes. Biblical rain affected the game from just before half time and it was visitors Maltby who levelled matters on 65 minutes through Luke Walker. Dronfield’s work ethic carried them to all three points however when substitute James Lindores got the winner 14 minutes from time. Chris Millington’s side move out of the bottom three as a result above Nostell MW, the side they take on in a massive game next weekend.
The game could not have started better for Dronfield. Only 4 minutes had elapsed when Connor Chapell delivered a teasing free kick from out on the left. Max Rhodes stabbed goalwards only for Maltby stopper Harrison Spiller to pull off an excellent save. Sam Bebbington pounced on the follow up however to force the ball home and give Town an early one goal lead.
Clear cut chances were at a premium for the remainder of the half but that was not to denigrate the performance of either side, who threw themselves into it wholeheartedly.
On 11 minutes, Luke Walker’s turn in the 6 yard box saw his shot well smothered by Jake Balme in the Dronfield net as Maltby built up a growing spell of pressure.
That pressure on 24 minutes saw Walker head in the direction of the goal from Enzo Guarini’s cross but again Balme was able to cover the opportunity.
Just a minute later, it was Dronfield’s turn to shine. Max Rhodes broke free and squared for Lewis Naylor but the big striker’s rising shot missed the target.
The rain began to fall on the half hour mark as Bebbington headed straight into the hands of Spiller and moments after, Maltby’s Joshua Stead saw his effort from distance go comfortably over the bar.
The rain became torrential during the half time interval making the turf at the HE Barnes Stadium extra zippy. Ten minutes after the restart, Maltby had Spiller to thank once again as he pulled off an outstanding stop on the line from Owen Lester’s excellent first time strike.
Despite Dronfield’s pressure, it was Maltby who got back on level terms on 65 minutes. Alex Washington’s corner from the far side found an unmarked Luke Walker, who had time in the box to pick his spot with his right boot and make it 1-1.
The game could have swung the visitor’s way as Stead fired a 25 yard free kick narrowly over Balme’s bar on 70 minutes but the substitution of Lewis Naylor for James Lindores shortly after was to prove key in the encounter.
On 76 minutes, Matty Ord’s shot was charged down for a corner. The corner evaded everyone except Lindores at the back post, who slotted it home from close range to put Town in front by 2-1.
Town immediately withdrew Arran Bovill from midfield into defence and despite Maltby making a raft of substitutions, it was the Derbyshire side who negotiated the final moments and the growing puddles on the pitch to secure the three points.
The win sees Dronfield climb out of the bottom three into 19th place on 32 points with 3 games remaining to play. Nostell MW fall below Town into 20th, two points behind but currently with a game in hand. In 21st are Appleby Frodingham, six points adrift of Dronfield with bottom side Yorkshire Amateur now confirmed to finish as wooden spoonists.
Town face a huge fixture next Saturday when they travel to relegation rivals Nostell MW. A win for Dronfield would all but ensure that they can’t finish in the bottom two by virtue of a superior goal difference.
Dronfield Town: Balme, Thorpe J, Bebbington, Stewart, Lester, Riley, Chapell, Bovill, Rhodes, Naylor, Ord. Subs: Thorpe M, Lindores, Gladwin, Hatton, Fereday.
Maltby Main: Spiller, Guarini, Stead, Taylor, Morton, Tambini, Warne, Washington, Pilling, Walker, Ridge. Subs: Kelly, Bailey, Greeves, Austin, Loughlin.
Attendance: 256
