A freak half time downpour caused the abandonment of Dronfield Town’s latest Northern Counties East League Division One game away at Parkgate FC. The home side headed into the interval with a 3-1 lead as the heavens opened in the Rotherham region. 13 minutes were played after the restart, during which Dronfield clawed another goal back, but with a large amount of surface water and the ball unable to run freely, the officials had no option but to void the game. Town still have 6 games left to play in the 2022-23 season, the first of which takes place on Tuesday when Harrogate Railway Athletic are the visitors to S18.
Callum Mawbey broke from midfield for the first chance of the game on 9 minutes, firing his shot just wide of Parkgate stopper Owen Evans’ right hand post.
Parkgate replied 3 minutes later. Ross Duggan’s right wing cross was met by the head of Taylor Nicholson, whose effort went just wide.
It was Town who claimed the opening goal, slightly against the run of play, on 13 minutes. Sam Bebbington’s flick on put Mark Fereday in the clear and he made no mistake in slipping the ball under Evans to make it 0-1.
The lead was short-lived. From an inswinging corner, Rob Ludlam ghosted in to sidefoot home and put the teams on level terms.
Parkgate took the lead on 24 minutes. Dronfield once again had difficulties from a corner and when Liam Tomlinson’s ball in from the right came across, Ludlam’s central defensive partner Bradley Morton was there to stab home and make it 2-1.
The stroke of half time saw things go from bad to worse for Dronfield. A delightful ball forward from half way was headed down by Nicholson and smashed home by prolific striker Ross Duggan.
The heavens opened at half time leaving vast stretches of standing water on the normally immaculate Parkgate playing surface.
The referee allowed the game to recommence, Dronfield having withdrawn Cameron Hill for substitute Nick Benson.
Two minutes after the restart, a long throw from Sam Bebbington was headed on by Mawbey as far as Mark Fereday. He turned and fired home from 6 yards to narrow the gap at 3-2.
The game soon descended into farce in the watery conditions. Parkgate’s Niall Smith almost sliced into his own goal after a good run by Benson but that was to be the final act of the game as the referee ordered a 10 minute delay to see if conditions improved.
The water didn’t subside and left little option for the managerial teams to shake hands with 58 minutes played and the game to be replayed at a later date.
Dronfield hopefully will have more luck on Tuesday evening when second placed Harrogate Railway Athletic, 4-1 victors on February 28th, are the visitors to the HE Barnes Stadium.
Parkgate: Evans, Hart, Smith, Tomlinson, Morton, Ludlam, Royles, Patterson, Duggan, Nicholson, Whitfield. Subs: Thompson, Hardeman, Wankiewicz, O’Connor, Wyatt-Ingram.
Dronfield Town: Naylor, Riley, Gladwin, Mike Fereday, Wright, Hatton, Cam Knight, Bebbington, Mark Fereday, Mawbey, Hill. Subs: Berry, Isaac Knight, Adams, Lindores, Benson.
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