The crowds returned to the HE Barnes Stadium but it wasn’t enough to prevent Dronfield Town going down by 2-3 against Midland Football League Selston FC in their latest pre-season friendly. Town’s opposition in all three previous friendlies so far have proved to be tough and challenging and Selston were no exception as goals from Lambert (2) and Moore gave the visitors the win despite Christian Savage and Matty Ord doing their upmost to keep Dronfield in touch.
The game began in the worst possible fashion for Dronfield as Selston took a fifth minute lead. Town’s defence took time to settle as Jordan Lambert beat claims for offside and slid the ball in past Rob White to give the visitors a 1-0 lead.
Dronfield shook off a nervy opening spell and got back on level terms on 24 minutes. Matty Ord held the ball up really well with his back to goal and fed Christian Savage, who smashed the ball into the roof of the net to draw Town level.
Savage saw his effort from the edge of the area saved by the Selston keeper just three minutes later and the half concluded when Lambert’s close range volley was saved by White following a long ball in from the right hand side.
The second half also began in less than ideal fashion for Dronfield. Fresh from four substitutions, Selston’s Ben Moore managed to round White and give the visitors a 1-2 lead with barely a minute played after the restart.
Dronfield’s attacking potential was undeterred however. On 54 minutes, Danny Wood’s searching low cross from the right wing found Matty Ord in space, who made no mistake from close range to make it 2-2.
Wood also managed to sting the keeper’s hands on 61 minutes and saw a 25 yard snapshot go just wide nine minutes later.
Selston too continued to play their part in an entertaining encounter in front of a crowd of 119. Their left back made a marauding run up the wing on 74 minutes; his long range effort being well saved by White.
Selston got their noses back in front on 78 minutes. Town failed to clear their lines allowing Lambert to dink home with the outside of his boot and put the visitors up by 2-3.
Dronfield had a gilt-edged chance to secure a draw with just three minutes left on the clock. Tawanda Rupere worked hard to dispossess the Selston right back and his ball in from the left found Savage, whose shot was bravely saved by the Selston stopper.
On the positive side, Dronfield have played challenging opposition in all their pre-season games so far and Selston were no different. Chris Millington used fifteen players in this fixture, who again all saw significant minutes in his quest to settle on his best eleven prior to the official season start on September 19th. A visit to Handsworth FC next Friday 28th August for their next warm up game should prove no less testing.
Dronfield Town: White, Pugh, Gladwin, Mintoft, Hill, Mike Fereday, Chappell, Wilson, Ord, Savage, Mawbey Subs: Stewart, Rupere, Triallist, Flower.
Selston FC: (From) Meehan, Griffiths, Davis, Hackett, Marriott-Lane, Laister, Moore, Layton, Bromley, Lambert, Brough, Kozluk, Black, Roome.
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