Report by North Derbyshire Radio’s David Bell

Three wins on the trot and five in the last seven games have propelled Dronfield Town up to tenth in the UCL Division One table. The latest victory saw them defeat Sleaford Town by 3-1 at the Stonelow Stadium in a highly confident and polished display. The game was just 20 seconds old when Matty Ord set Dronfield on their way and they went two up on 20 minutes through a Sam Bebbington penalty. Dion Tansey-Potter pulled one back for Sleaford ten minutes before the interval but Dronfield maintained their two goal advantage through an excellent finish by leading scorer Arran Bovill on 54 minutes. Sleaford’s James Twigg left the game for a second bookable offence with 20 minutes to go but the damage had already been done with Dronfield looking full value for the three points. Town welcome Gedling MW to the Stonelow Stadium on National Non-League Day next Saturday.

The game couldn’t have started any better for Dronfield. Just 20 seconds had elapsed when a surging run up the pitch by Chris Simpkins found Matty Ord, who converted confidently from the left channel to put Town a goal to the good.

The game took time to settle after the early strike but with the advantage, Dronfield pressed for another. Sleaford’s James Twigg was adjudged to have handled in the penalty box, the referee pointing instantly to the spot. Twigg picked up a yellow card for his troubles, which was to prove significant later in the game but Dronfield’s Sam Bebbington blasted the spot kick to Phil McCann’s left to make it 2-0.

Sleaford had their moments and grew back into the game. On 25 minutes, Andy Whalen’s lofted ball forward found Kyle Onyon but he sliced his shot wide with only Lewis Naylor to beat.

Naylor came to Town’s rescue five minutes after, saving from Whalen’s low strike but with Dronfield getting a touch complacent, the visitors pulled one back on 35 minutes.

Dion Tansey-Potter cut inside from the left flank and hit a firm shot through two Dronfield defenders and past the dive of Lewis Naylor to make it 2-1.

An entertaining encounter continued into the second half but it was Dronfield who got their third on 54 minutes. Leading scorer Arran Bovill used his long legs to reach a ball few others would have claimed and managed to dink it over McCann in the Sleaford goal and into the net to make it 3-1.

Town were very much in command by this stage and a useful 20 yard half volley from Connor Chapell was well-claimed by McCann on 57 minutes.

Lewis Naylor saved a low curling drive from Sleaford substitute Silas Stewart-Caws around the 70 minute mark but things got worse for the visitors only moments after.

Twigg brought down Matty Ord as Dronfield advanced once more and having collected a yellow in the first half, was unfortunately given his marching orders.

Dronfield had the opportunity to give game time to all 16 players in the matchday squad and it was substitute Arthur Pashley who had the final chance of the encounter. He turned his man delightfully on the half way line and raced on towards goal but sadly his finish was high of the mark on this occasion.

The win lifts Dronfield to tenth from twelfth position in the UCL Division One table with six games remaining in the campaign. The drive for a top ten finish continues next Saturday with the visit of twentieth placed Gedling MW to the Stonelow Stadium on what is also National Non-League Day.

Dronfield Town: Naylor, Butchart, Simpkins, Stewart, Shelbourne, Mawbey, Chapell, Bovill, Bebbington, Walker, Ord. Subs: Reardon, Appleyard, Rhodes, Gladwin, Pashley.

Sleaford Town: McCann, Reek, Timmins, Wilkinson, Twigg, Gothard, Zalewski, Thompson, Onyon, Whalen, Tansey-Potter. Subs: Nicholson, Smith, Stewart-Caws, Coleman, Olivier-Townrow.

Attendance: 103

Photo: Michael South