Report by North Derbyshire Radio’s David Bell
A poor display on the road cost Dronfield Town dearly as they went down by 4-1 at Clifton All Whites. Town never really got to grips with Clifton’s front three as Conner Randall shot the hosts into a 2-0 lead. Randall was denied a hat-trick when Lewis Naylor saved his 37th minute penalty but Clifton doubled their lead through Corey Durose and Corbi Brown in the second half. Dronfield missed a penalty of their own; Max Rhodes putting his spot kick wide of the post but did get a consolation deep in added time through recent signing Kieren Watson. Town get the opportunity to bounce back immediately with the visit of Gedling MW to the Stonelow Stadium on Tuesday evening.
The scene was set early on. Conner Randall’s fourth minute shot cleared the crossbar but the right side attacker gave Clifton the lead six minutes later.
Dronfield failed to clear their lines and although the ball fell to Randall slightly fortuitously, he made no mistake from 12 yards out to give Clifton a 1-0 advantage.
The North Derbyshire side tried to patiently build their way back into the game but it was Clifton who got their second on 23 minutes. Dronfield centre half Aston Thompson was dispossessed by Randall, who was free to strike home his second of the contest and put the hosts in the driving seat.
That advantage almost became three on 37 minutes. Town full back Ryan Watters was adjudged to have clipped Niyam Matharu at the edge of the box and the referee pointed to the spot. Randall, attempting to get his hat-trick, saw his penalty saved by Lewis Naylor and after a lengthy debate, the follow-up goal was ruled out for offside.
Clifton had the ball in the net once more two minutes from the interval. Naylor, who had an outstanding afternoon between the sticks, pulled off an excellent save from Joel Stevens but Cameron Maltby was offside, putting the ball into the net from the follow-up.
Dronfield made a better start to the second half. Connor Chapell’s threatening left footed half volley was charged down by the Clifton defence but that was about as good as it got for Town.
On 62 minutes, Kye Wade’s corner from the right was swept home by Corey Durose with the Dronfield defence static as the scoreline became 3-0.
Naylor pulled off an unbelievable save from veteran front man Ruben Wiggins-Thomas, turning his goalbound shot over the bar with his legs and two minutes after, Dronfield had an opportunity to get back into the game.
Substitute Callum Martin was clipped in the area and again the match official pointed to the penalty spot. The usually-reliable Max Rhodes rolled his penalty wide of Zac Noon’s right hand post as Dronfield’s woes continued.
Clifton got their fourth on 75 minutes. Naylor managed to save substitute Corbi Brown’s first attempt but he found the net at close range with the second as the scoreline became 4-0 to the Nottingham side.
Dronfield got a consolation four minutes into added time. Alex Appleyard made a useful run down the left flank and delivered a decent cross for recent signing Kieren Watson to stroke home his first goal for the club from close range.
The excellent goalkeeping performance of Lewis Naylor masked a display that was sub-par for Dronfield and they will need to try and arrest a run of seven games without a win on Tuesday evening when 17th placed Gedling MW are the visitors to the Stonelow Stadium.
Clifton All Whites: Noon, Durose, Matharu, Bowers, Bertram, Deakin, Maltby, Burton, Wiggins-Thomas, Stevens, Randall. Subs: Daykin, Lemard, Brown, Commons, Wade.
Dronfield Town: Naylor, Watters, Simpkins, Appleyard, Thompson, Mawbey, Chapell, Rogers, Rhodes, Watson, Ord. Subs: Benaissa, Martin, Ireland, Bebbington.
Attendance: 87
