A quality strike four minutes from time by Laurie Wilson gave Dronfield Town a share of the spoils in their third pre-season friendly against Harworth Colliery FC. The visitors had taken a fortieth minute lead through Michael Wibberley and the controversial sending off of Mike Fereday eight minutes from time looked to have sealed the North Derbyshire team’s fate. However, up stepped Wilson to send Town into their next game against Selston FC in buoyant mood.
Dronfield came flying out of the traps, Matty Ord firing straight at the Harworth keeper in the 3rd minute with the goal at his mercy.
The visitors from the Central Midlands League showed what a good competition it will be this coming season; Lewis Naylor in the Dronfield goal making a fine save from the Harworth central defenders header in the 13th minute.
Just two minutes later, Charlie Stewart’s curling 20 yard free kick was acrobatically tipped over by the Harworth keeper.
Dronfield made four substitutions on the half hour mark, game time being paramount at this stage of pre-season. This almost paid dividends on 36 minutes as Willis’ overhead kick went wide after good approach play by Wilson.
However, it was Harworth who took the lead on 40 minutes. Wibberley found himself free through the middle and although the on-rushing Lewis Naylor saved at his feet in the first instance, he made no mistake tapping into the empty net on the follow up.
Danny Wood’s neat sidestep and shot concluded proceedings for the first half; the Harworth keeper pulling off yet another fine stop.
The second half was no less competitive. The impressive Wilson let fly from 25 yards nine minutes after the restart, spectacularly tipped over by Harworth’s substitute keeper.
Harworth found the net once again on 65 minutes, however the effort was ruled out for offside from their number 7.
Both sides played their part in an entertaining and hardworking display but the game was slightly marred on 82 minutes. The linesman drew the referees attention to an incident where he believed Dronfield’s Mike Fereday had made contact with a Harworth player using his head. Despite neither party claiming one hundred percent clarity, Fereday was shown the red card.
The game looked over for Dronfield but Harworth had reckoned without Laurie Wilson. His low, skimming shot from 20 yards out placed the ball into the bottom corner with four minutes remaining to give Dronfield a share of the spoils.
Another solid workout for Dronfield against industrious, quality opposition. The side return to pre-season action on Saturday 22nd August when Midland Football League Selston FC are the visitors to the HE Barnes Stadium, hopefully in front of spectators with news that the FA are due to release guidance on socially distanced viewing.
Dronfield Town: Naylor, Bebbington, Stewart, Pugh, Lambert, Willis, Ord, Rawson, Mike Fereday, Wood, Mawbey Subs: Gladwin, Wright, Wilson, Mark Fereday, Fairweather, Triallist GK.
Harworth Colliery: (From) Wibberley S, Timmons, Oldroyd, Billau, Edmondson, Wildsmith, Johnson, Brooks, Wibberley M, Pickersgill, Archer, Hodgson, McEwan, Davis, Talbot, Green, Wilson B, Wilson J, Latham, Barber A, Barber D, Dixon, Brogan.
Comments