Report by North Derbyshire Radio’s Football Correspondent David Bell
Dronfield Town claimed their second win of the fledgling United Counties League season in a close game against Rainworth MW. The Notts side had suffered a couple of heavy defeats but belied their position at the foot of the table to cause trouble for Chris Millington’s men. Town skipper Lewis Naylor had an exceptional game to keep Dronfield in the encounter before a 71st minute wonder strike from young midfielder Alex Appleyard sealed all three points. Dronfield finished the game strongly to ascend to tenth in Division One and will need to display similar traits when they welcome second-placed Dunkirk FC to the Stonelow Stadium on Saturday.
The game was a slow burner and it took 10 minutes before Dronfield debutant Matt Morton got a shot off on the angle from the left which even then could only be counted as a half chance.
Rainworth’s first venture forward resulted in Lewis Naylor making the first of innumerable stops, this time from Kian Brennan.
The game wasn’t high on quality in the first half as the 25 minute mark saw a good left wing cross from Alex Appleyard once again leading to Town failing to test Niall Edge in the Rainworth goal.
Rainworth continued to put up a plucky display; Connor Chapell having to clear off the line from Luke Walker’s low shot on 28 minutes. However, Chapell went close up the other end, his curling free kick going wide of Edge’s left hand post.
Dronfield suffered two let-offs late in the half. Jack Clarke turned inside James Thorpe but his shot fizzed across the area and on 42 minutes, Town skipper Naylor kept his side in the game.
Clarke squared to Rainworth front man Walker, whose unchallenged sidefoot was outstandingly saved at point blank range by the Dronfield stopper.
Town came out more purposefully in the second half. Just four minutes had elapsed when Liam O’Brien was put in the clear but Niall Edge came from his line to smother the shot.
On 54 minutes, the lively Kristian Cato-Barrett once again caused bother down the left flank with the move he started eventually ending in Naylor saving from Brennan.
Dronfield maintained the intensity just past the hour mark as Appleyard fed O’Brien, whose shot went narrowly past the post and on 71 minutes, they took the lead.
Young midfielder Alex Appleyard opportunistically hit the ball on the half volley from twenty yards out to see it soar past Niall Edge into the top corner and give his side a one-nil advantage.
Town still had Lewis Naylor to thank for their reward of all three points. He saved with his feet from Walker who was clean through. Out of the resulting corner, he tipped over the bar from a Rainworth header to cap an excellent display between the sticks.
Dronfield displayed good game management to conclude the encounter and were clearly delighted to secure their second victory of the campaign. They welcome second-placed Dunkirk FC to the Stonelow Stadium on Saturday – the Nottingham-based side having won three of their four games so far.
Rainworth MW: Edge, Bolt, Clarke J, Hancock, Faulconbridge, Kennedy, McMillan, Brennan, Walker, Reardon, Cato-Barrett. Subs: Clarke A, Rose, Donker, Burgin, Halshaw.
Dronfield Town: Naylor, Thorpe, Stewart, Appleyard, Shelbourne, Lester, Chapell, Bovill, Morton, Bebbington, O’Brien. Subs: Gladwin, Bancroft, Jay, White, Mawbey.
Attendance: 69
