Dronfield Town took all three points in a very hard-fought contest against close rivals Louth Town in their latest NCEL Division One encounter. An 84th minute Dan White header was the difference between the sides in game that wasn’t pretty on the eye but satisfying for the North Derbyshire outfit in terms of result. The victory takes Town back to ninth in the table, seven points off the playoff places and in amongst a group of six teams separated by just a couple of wins. One of those sides, Nostell MW, are the visitors to S18 next Saturday.
Dronfield started the day in tenth spot, one place below visitors Louth and with the proximity of the two sides in the table, a tight game was always on the cards. The early exchanges saw Dronfield’s Nick Benson and Joe Pearson not quite fully able to test Louth keeper Alex Lait and in return, the visitor’s Sam Swinn headed wide from a free kick on the right hand side.
Dronfield’s best effort of the half came from Benson. Callum Mawbey headed on to the young striker, who controlled well and a fired a right footed strike just wide of the post.
In between, the hosts had a couple of appeals for penalties. Max Rhodes appeared to have been fouled on 14 minutes when in a threatening position and on 27 minutes, Benson went down chasing a ball after a testing right wing cross from Pearson. Neither drew the interest of the referee.
Louth ended the half the stronger. Dronfield had to rely upon the abilities of their goalkeeper Lewis Naylor, who saved from the visitor’s Ollie Kendall on 41 minutes and then again from Alex Aldrich a minute later – Dan White blocking a follow-up shot that went out for a corner.
Town were relieved to hear the half time whistle when Naylor raced out of his goal to save his side in a four on two situation.
Dronfield came out with greater purpose at the start of the second half. Three minutes in, a corner found the head of Sam Bebbington at the back post but Louth stopper Alex Lait hung on to his goal-bound effort.
The 58th minute saw Max Rhodes get in behind the Louth defence and his fierce strike brought out another save from Lait, the follow-up not quite falling to his strike partner Nick Benson.
Lait and Louth suffered a blow in the 61st minute when the keeper left the field after a lengthy delay through injury. Substitute Harry Jacklin donned the goalie jersey but remained relatively untroubled for a good twenty minutes.
The deadlock was eventually broken in the 84th minute. Connor Chapell’s corner was headed goalwards by Dan White and although Jacklin got his hand to the ball, Town’s influential central defender claimed his fifth goal of the season.
The injury to Lait brought about fully ten minutes of added time during which Louth’s Bailey Wright was sent to the sin bin.
However, Dronfield negotiated the extended spell and were undoubtedly pleased with a hard-won three points at the final whistle.
Town climb back to ninth in the Northern Counties East League Division One table as a result, seven points behind Shirebrook, who currently occupy the final playoff place.
However, there is little to separate the sides in positions six to eleven as the season nears it’s half way stage.
The team in sixth, Nostell Miners Welfare, are the visitors to the HE Barnes Stadium next Saturday for a 3pm kick off.
Dronfield Town: Naylor, Riley, Mawbey, Fereday, Bovill, White, Chapell, Pearson, Rhodes, Benson, Bebbington. Subs: Staniland, Gladwin, Thorpe, Lester, Hatton.
Louth Town: Lait, Taylor, Crawford, Perry, Swinn, Aldrich, Wright, Nelson, Smith, Kendall, Evison. Subs: Southwood, Brown, Jacklin, Coulam, Dunn.
Attendance: 126
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