Three goals in the opening twenty minutes put Dronfield Town on the backfoot as hosts Shirebrook Town went on to a 4-1 win. The highly-resourced Notts outfit took the lead through Kieren Watson, Carlton Carty and a Callum Mawbey own goal before Mark Fereday pulled one back for Dronfield after a well-worked move. An Igor Mlynarski strike 8 minutes after half time sealed all three points for Shirebrook, leaving Dronfield to contemplate the visit of fourth-placed Parkgate to Stonelow on Saturday.
The alarm bells rang right from the first minute when the pacy Carlton Carty cut in from the right flank and forced Lewis Naylor to beat away a decent strike to his left.
It only took a further 7 minutes before Shirebrook got off the mark. Carty’s deep right wing cross found prolific hitman Kieren Watson at the back post, who headed home to put the host side up by 1-0.
They doubled that lead 3 minutes after. Kiyani Clayton’s ball from out on the left was controlled by Carty and stabbed home to make it 2.
Dronfield immediately went to a back four to combat the wide threat from Shirebrook but on 20 minutes, things went from bad to worse. Josh Devereux’s low ball from the left into the danger zone was unfortunately turned into his own net by Callum Mawbey with Carty hovering at the back post to finish if required.
Town skipper Lewis Naylor pulled off stops from Nat Watson and Kieren Watson as Dronfield finally began to find a shape.
The 38th minute saw them put together their first real move of note and it immediately brought about a goal. Tom Staniland started the play in the left back spot and it ended in Sam Bebbington crossing for Mark Fereday to fire home from 9 yards out to make it 3-1.
It felt like Dronfield needed an early second half strike to maintain a foot in the contest but unfortunately it was Shirebrook who extended their lead. The 53rd minute saw Nat Watson deliver an excellent pass with the outside of his boot to the right wing. Igor Mlynarski received the ball at pace and blasted into the roof of the net to give the home side an unassailable lead.
Town saw claims for a penalty waved away when Sam Bebbington appeared to be upended and a Max Rhodes free kick from distance comfortably sailed over the crossbar.
James Lindores, Jake Hatton and Nick Benson were introduced into the action but there was to be no change to the scoreline despite a couple of late chances for the lively Shirebrook front line.
With only one other game being played in the division as the wet weather once again took its hold of the midweek programme, Dronfield now turn their attentions to the weekend and the visit of fourth-placed Parkgate, who have lost only once this season.
Kick off is 3pm on Saturday at the HE Barnes Stadium.
Shirebrook Town: Squires, Mlynarski, Devereux, Finlaw, Grayson, Turner, Carty, Parkin, Kieren Watson, Nat Watson, Clayton. Subs: Fell, Greaves, Morgan, Murr.
Dronfield Town: Naylor, Bebbington, Staniland, Mike Fereday, Riley, White, Lester, Knight, Rhodes, Mark Fereday, Mawbey. Subs: Benson, Hatton, Lindores, Siddons.
Attendance: 120
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