REPORT: Dronfield get back to winning ways in Harrogate

Dronfield Town claimed their first win in four games, moving up to tenth in the Northern Counties East League Division One table with an away victory at Harrogate Railway Athletic.

The home side had the best of the early exchanges but it was Dronfield who took the lead in the 34th minute.

A free kick on the Harrogate left was lofted in by Charlie Stewart as far as Richard Mintoft, whose deft header gave Town a one-nil lead.

Harrogate’s Whitehead forced an acrobatic save out of Dronfield keeper Lewis Naylor on the stroke of half time as the visitors were pleased to maintain their advantage going into the break.

However, it only took four minutes after the interval for the home side to get back on level terms. Josh Shields drifted inside and unleashed a shot from 25 yards that gave Naylor no chance.

It was Chris Millington’s Dronfield who went on to secure all three points though. Rail gifted an opportunity to the in-form Matty Ord, who successfully completed the task of finding the back of the net from close range in the 79th minute.

Town move on to a Derbyshire Senior Cup First Round tie away at Ashbourne on Tuesday evening before another away fixture at Premier Division high flyers Grimsby Borough in the FA Vase on Saturday.

Harrogate Railway Athletic: Wilton, Shields, Blacker, Jordan, Lancaster, Mendes Fernandes, Whitehead, Greenway, Harris, Sykes, Newsome.

Dronfield Town: Naylor, Bebbington, Stewart, Wilson, Wright, Hill, Flower, Mawbey, Fereday, Wood, Ord.

Attendance: 90