Report by North Derbyshire Radio’s David Bell
A heartbreaking final twenty minutes saw Dronfield Town dip to a 3-2 defeat away at Selston FC. Possibly their best half of football of the season saw Town take a 2-0 advantage into the changing rooms thanks to goals from Max Rhodes and a Connor Chapell penalty. Selston pulled a goal back on 74 minutes through Josh Smith but the game potentially turned on the decision not to award a penalty for what appeared to be a clear foul on Dronfield’s Emmanuel Rogers just moments later. Selston levelled matters on 85 minutes through Nick Hines and with Dronfield reeling, Joe Naylor’s header five minutes into added time saw the Notts outfit claim all three points at the death. Town drop to 18th place in the UCL Division One table as a result and take on 7th ranked Dunkirk FC at the Stonelow Stadium next Saturday in what will be Manager Chris Millington’s final game in charge.
Dronfield signalled some early intent when Alex Appleyard’s 18 yard half volley curled wide of the mark with just 4 minutes gone.
Playing downhill at the Parish Hall Ground clearly suited the North Derbyshire side and they took the lead on 14 minutes. A delightful give-and-go between debutant Alex Wilkinson and Max Rhodes saw Rhodes finish into the top corner from 12 yards out to make it 1-0.
Wilkinson, who made an impressive first appearance, almost made it two moments after. He was put clean through but his shot past Selston keeper Tom Cox rebounded off the post and was scrambled away to safety by the hosts.
The lead was doubled on 22 minutes however. An excellent turn by Max Rhodes saw him felled in the box and the referee pointed to the spot. A change of penalty taker saw Connor Chapell step up and despatch the ball past Cox to make it 2-0.
A productive and attractive on the eye half an hour was capped when Rhodes cross from the right was met by Callum Martin at the back post but he steered his header wide of the mark.
Selston rallied towards the end of the half. Lewis Naylor saved from Colt Reynolds, who shot from just inside the area but the whistle came after Max Rhodes put the final chance of the period over the bar on the angle.
The second half began with a useful run from Wilkinson down the left flank but he was unable to square his cross for a well-positioned Max Rhodes.
Selston were enlivened by a pair of substitutions but still Dronfield continued to excel. On 65 minutes, Chapell’s shot was palmed out as far as Sam Bebbington but he put the rebound straight at Cox in the Selston goal.
The hosts pulled one back on 74 minutes. Dronfield failed to clear a corner and the ball fell to Josh Smith, who fired home from 6 yards out to make it 2-1.
Despite that setback, the game could have been sealed four minutes later. Dronfield substitute Emmanuel Rogers turned his man in the penalty area and appeared to have clearly impeded. Instead of the expected penalty award, Rogers was awarded a yellow card for simulation much to the annoyance of the Dronfield bench.
Having survived that scare, Selston threw everything into what proved to be the final ten minutes of the game. On 85 minutes, substitute Nick Hines beat the offside trap, racing on to finish past Naylor and drawing the sides level at 2-2.
Ominously, Naylor had to tip over from Jack Cockram’s rising shot with a minute to go but Town were to suffer heartbreak deep in added time.
The ball was stood up from the right and with Naylor unable to punch clear as he had done moments earlier, Joe Naylor headed in at the back post to seal all three points for Selston at 3-2.
Town take on Dunkirk FC at the Stonelow Stadium next Saturday, looking to move away from the lower reaches of the table, in what will be Manager Chris Millington’s final game in charge of the club. The club are expected to announce a new management structure in due course.
Selston FC: Cox, Black, Hardman, Moore, Smith, Green, Cockram, Bland, Reynolds, Bowering, Pashley. Subs: Kowalski, Haywood, Hines, Batterham, Naylor.
Dronfield Town: Naylor, Bebbington, Leader, Appleyard, Morgan, Stewart, Chapell, Reardon, Rhodes, Wilkinson, Martin. Subs: Worrall, Bovill, Benaissa, Rogers, Walker.
Attendance: 251
