Dronfield Town handed themselves a huge lifeline with a vital win away at Louth Town. Dronfield custodian Jake Balme opened the scoring with a free kick that beat his opposite number Alex Lait on the half hour mark. Louth, who have climbed the table recently with an influx of new signings, levelled on 56 minutes through Bailey Wright. However Dronfield, who once again put up a battling display, got the winner on 87 minutes through Sam Bebbington to claim a crucial three points in their quest to survive at the foot of the table. Town escaped the bottom three with the victorious result ahead of their final four games; the first of which sees Maltby Main visit the HE Barnes Stadium next Saturday.
A bobbly pitch with high bounce greeted both sides and it took a good 15 minutes before either side got to grips with the conditions.
It was Dronfield who adapted to their surroundings quicker however with Max Rhodes providing the first real attempt of the encounter. His 20 yard attempt was relatively easily gathered by Alex Lait in the Louth goal.
Dronfield took the game to Louth and on 18 minutes, a spell of pressure saw Connor Chapell hook the ball back into the host’s box only to see it bounce alarmingly and hit the post.
Louth’s best spell of pressure saw Dronfield deal with a couple of testing corners but when a goal did come, it was in the visitor’s favour.
On the half hour mark, Dronfield keeper Jake Balme took a free kick from deep in his own half. Another steepling bounce saw the ball sail over Alex Lait in the Louth goal and into the net without another player touching it to put the Derbyshire side one to the good.
Louth recent signing Brody Robertson’s left footed shot from the edge of the box went tamely wide late in the half as the whistle blew for the break.
The second half was a more entertaining spectacle for the spectators and demonstrated that Dronfield were good value for the win. Four minutes after the restart, Max Rhodes was played into a good area and forced Louth to concede a corner. From the set piece, Lewis Naylor, again pressed into outfield duties for the second game in a row, stabbed home only for the referee to rule out the goal for an unclear infringement.
Balme proved that he could stop goals as well as score them on 52 minutes. He pulled off an outstanding save to his right hand side to prevent Harvey Lidgard’s goal-bound stab entering the net.
Louth did get on level terms on 56 minutes however. Bailey Wright’s shot from the edge of the box took a deflection, which deceived the unfortunate Balme, who juggled the ball but couldn’t prevent it from entering the goal.
Despite the leveller, it was Dronfield who had the better of the remainder of the encounter. On 64 minutes, a useful Arran Bovill cross from the right found Max Rhodes, who attempted to volley the ball home rather than heading which looked a more viable option.
Rhodes did bring a stop out of Lait ten minutes later. Matty Ord put Town’s leading scorer in the clear, who forced Lait into a one-handed save with his left footed strike.
Dronfield got the winner that their endeavours deserved three minutes from time. Connor Chapell’s deep outswinging corner from the far side found an unmarked Sam Bebbington at the back post and the utility man couldn’t miss with his header that brought about a jig of delight with the score at 2-1.
Dronfield climb to 19th in the table on 32 points ahead of 20th placed Nostell, who have 30. Also in the mix are Appleby Frodingham on 28 points in 21st with bottom side Yorkshire Amateur now confirmed to drop. Tenth-placed Maltby Main are the visitors to the HE Barnes Stadium next Saturday with Dronfield having four games to save their step six status.
Louth Town: Lait, Thompson, Nelson, Jacklin, Wood, Coulam B, Wright, Millson, Robertson, Barlow, Lidgard. Subs: Coulam P, McSpadden, Dean-Atkinson, Johnson, Brown.
Dronfield Town: Balme, Thorpe J, Bebbington, Stewart, Riley, Lester, Chapell, Bovill, Rhodes, Naylor, Ord. Subs: Thorpe M, Siddons, Lindores, Gladwin, Hatton.
Attendance: 55
