Four wins in the last four and ten goals in the last two games! Life is pretty good for Dronfield Town at the moment following a 5-1 home win over Hall Road Rangers that sees them assume 12th place in the Northern Counties East League Division One. Goals from Callum Mawbey, Owen Lester, Stuart Hill and a pair from Mark Fereday left Town four points off the top ten with seven games left to play, starting on the road at Shirebrook on Saturday.
Dronfield picked up where they left off last weekend following their stellar 5-0 win over Nostell and took the game to their Hull-based opposition. It only took 9 minutes to open their account for the evening; Matty Ord cutting in from the right hand side to feed Callum Mawbey, who rifled home with his trademark left boot from 12 yards to make it 1-0.
Ord, who has been one of the keys to Dronfield’s recent run, saw his right wing cross fizz across the goalmouth three minutes later, followed by another Mawbey attempt that went marginally wide.
Hall Road found their greatest threat from set pieces and corners. On the half hour mark, Jacob Galloway saw his header cleared off the line from a corner over on the far side; Lewis Naylor making a useful save for Dronfield from the follow up.
Lewis Gibson had a 20 yard strike for Hall Road claimed by Naylor on 38 minutes but despite the pressure from the visitors, it was Dronfield who were to end the half strongly.
On 42 minutes, a dangerous move started by Mark Fereday ended with the ball being swept into the bottom corner of Aidan Smith’s goal from 18 yards out by Town midfielder Owen Lester.
Two goals soon became three a minute before the half time interval. Callum Mawbey was felled right at the top corner of the area, leaving the referee with no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Mark Fereday placed his spot kick low to Smith’s right hand side to send Dronfield into the changing rooms at half time three goals to the good.
The third goal clearly knocked the stuffing out of Hall Road and Dronfield took advantage seven minutes after the restart. Ord’s near side inswinging corner was met by Town captain Stuart Hill, whose glancing header hit the back of the net to make it 4-0.
Dronfield matched their tally from last Saturday when the fifth strike hit the target on the hour mark. An exquisite exchange of passes between Owen Lester and Matty Ord saw the ball fed to Mark Fereday, who made no mistake from 12 yards out with the score at 5-0.
The only blemish on Town’s night came on 65 minutes when a defensive lapse saw Joe McFadyen tap into an empty goal to pull one back for the visitors.
Dronfield took the opportunity to withdraw Ord and Connor Chapell to be replaced by Tom Gladwin and Isaac Knight and it was young left winger Knight who had Dronfield’s last significant chance of the game.
A useful turn from the youngster saw him deceive his man and his left foot shot from the corner of the box was gathered by Smith.
Hall Road substitute Luke Bullement saw his left footed effort saved by Lewis Naylor three minutes from time but the final score of 5-1 reflected another night of dominance for the men from S18.
Confidence appears high in the Dronfield camp after an entertaining display where the home side pressed and harried their opposition into submission. Town bid to make it five in a row on Saturday when more of the same will be required away at sixteenth placed Shirebrook.
Dronfield Town: Naylor, Mike Fereday, Stewart, Lester, Hill, Hatton, Chapell, Flower, Mawbey, Mark Fereday, Ord. Subs: Furness, Hunter, Knight, Gladwin, Wood.
Hall Road Rangers: Smith, Galloway, Simpkins, Griffin, Knaggs, Piercy, Gibson, Bennett, Robinson, McFadyen, Wood. Subs: Norton, Withill, Bullement, Williams.
Attendance: 62
Photo: Michelle Bell
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