Report by North Derbyshire Radio’s David Bell
There was last gasp drama for the second weekend running as Dronfield Town secured a point in a 3-3 draw away at Radford FC. Town’s defending in the first 45 minutes was below par as the hosts took a 3-1 lead through Nashiem Isman, Harrison Mellors and Latrelle Patterson; Sam Bebbington’s tenth minute penalty being Dronfield’s only reply. The Derbyshire side were much better in the second half, pulling one back through Dan Shelbourne shortly after the resumption. The grandstand finish to the game came seven minutes into added time when Shelbourne forced home Connor Chapell’s inswinging, potentially goalbound corner to see Chris Millington’s side claim a point. Dronfield now face a run of eight home games in the next eleven where accumulation of points will be key to seeing them rise from their current 14th place in the UCL Division One table.
Dronfield, wearing Radford’s away jerseys due to a perceived colour clash, were slow off the mark and the pacy Radford outfit took advantage with only eight minutes gone.
As Town failed to clear their lines, Radford debutant Nashiem Isman wrapped his boot around the ball from the edge of the box, unleashing a useful finish that left Dronfield stopper Lewis Naylor clutching at air to make it 1-0.
It only took two minutes for Dronfield to get back on level terms. The match referee had the easy task of deciding that Arran Bovill had been fouled in the box and had no hesitation pointing to the spot. Sam Bebbington placed a low spot kick to the keeper’s right-hand side to draw the sides level.
Parity didn’t last long however as two minutes later, Radford restored their lead. The hosts’ Harrison Mellors met a far side corner with a free header that nestled in the back of the net as the game threatened to become a goal-fest.
Clearly buoyed by the freedom they were getting, Radford’s Latrelle Patterson hit a useful 20 yard strike that Naylor had to tip round the post to his right as Dronfield suffered the blow of Bebbington picking up an injury. He was replaced by young striker Arthur Pashley in a move that saw fellow front man Jack Bancroft drop to right full back.
Radford got their third on 25 minutes. Another failure to clear their lines saw Patterson with a free header from distance that sailed over the Dronfield defence and into the back of the net with the score at 3-1.
A Dan White attempt from distance that was comfortably claimed by Radford keeper Abbas was about as good as Dronfield could muster as the half drew to a close.
Much better was the second 45 minutes as Town finally looked like they were deserving of something from the encounter. Radford opened with a useful Logan Dimmock-Fox effort that just went wide of Naylor’s left-hand post but the half largely belonged to the visitors.
Dronfield pulled one back on 52 minutes. Connor Chapell’s inswinging corner was met by the head of the oncoming Dan Shelbourne to make it 3-2 with a good proportion of the game remaining.
Indeed, Town looked like they had pulled level just a minute later. Arran Bovill’s fierce shot was spilled by Abbas in the Radford goal with Max Rhodes, making his second debut for Dronfield, being on hand to put the ball in the net in predatory fashion. Bafflingly, the assistant raised his flag for offside and the goal was ruled out.
By this point, Dronfield were laying siege to the Radford goal. Shelbourne turned and shot with his left foot just past the hour mark with the attempt being palmed out by Abbas.
Six minutes later, a rising Max Rhodes effort from the edge of the box just did too much and went high of the target.
Dronfield had skipper Lewis Naylor to thank that Radford didn’t wrap up the game two minutes from time. Substitute Dennan Morgan turned and volleyed from close range with Naylor throwing himself to his right in the manner of Gordon Banks to prevent an almost-certain goal.
Just as it looked like Dronfield were slipping to defeat, they popped up for a last-gasp share of the points. Seven minutes of added time had elapsed when another of Chapell’s threatening inswinging corners looked goalbound in itself but was bundled home by Dan Shelbourne for his second of the game and the draw at 3-3.
Dronfield dropped to 14th in the table as a result but are only three points behind a group of seven teams above them. They now commence a spell of eight games in the next eleven at home, starting with the visit of 11th placed Pinxton to the Stonelow Stadium on Tuesday evening.
Radford FC: Abbas, Brown, Hare, Patterson, Boafo, Mellors, Parton, Rooke, Isman, Dimmock-Fox, Fagbemi. Subs: Mushambi, Leon, Atai, Morgan.
Dronfield Town: Naylor, Bebbington, Simpkins, Stewart, Shelbourne, Gladwin, Chapell, Bovill, Rhodes, Bancroft, White. Subs: Appleyard, Pashley, Hatton, Reardon, Ord.
Attendance: 82
