A last-gasp winner for home side Louth Town cost Dronfield Town in their penultimate fixture of the 2023-24 season. A stiff breeze and an unusually hard pitch, given the wet weather of the whole campaign, didn’t make for an eye-catching contest but Dronfield did take a second half lead through Cameron Knight. Louth equalised through Bailey Wright and it was the diminutive midfielder who claimed all three points for the hosts with a header five minutes into added time. Dronfield can still equal their best ever points total in the Northern Counties East League but will need to so by claiming victory over Staveley Miners Welfare in their final game on Tuesday evening.
The first half very much had an end-of-season feel about it. A stiff crossfield wind and a pitch that was firm and offering steepling bounce meant that both sides struggled to get the ball on the floor and play possession football.
As a result, the half was punctuated with half chances. In the third minute, Dronfield’s Nick Benson saw Louth stopper Alex Lait parry his 12 yard effort.
Town’s Lewis Naylor was the next to be called upon. The ninth minute saw him turn Harry Jacklin’s attempt wide of the post and then on 18 minutes, he easily smothered another shot by Bailey Wright.
Dronfield looked to have a good claim for a penalty at the 25 minute mark. Benson appeared to have received a firm push in the back inside the area but the match referee wasn’t interested in his or his team-mates claims.
The conditions conspired against Town on the half hour mark. One of Charlie Stewart’s trademark set pieces was aimed in the direction of the head of Sam Bebbington but again the wind and high bounce saw the ball narrowly escape his diving attempt.
Eight minutes from the end of the half, a long throw forward was aimed in the direction of Dronfield’s leading scorer Max Rhodes but his half volley on the run was once again comfortably saved by Lait.
The second 45 minutes came with more drama. Benson’s persistence saw him make an excellent run down the right that triggered a series of corners as Dronfield increased the pressure. From one of those corners, Louth were forced to clear off the line but in the ensuing melee, Cameron Knight stooped to head home from close range to give Dronfield a 1-0 lead.
Dronfield had their tails up by this stage and a long range effort from Mike Fereday, assisted by the wind, just cleared the crossbar on 71 minutes.
Town’s failure to assert further dominance cost them two minutes later however. Dronfield failed to clear their lines and a scuffed effort from Bailey Wright inside the area found the back of the net to make it 1-1.
Alex Lait came to Louth’s rescue ten minutes from time. Benson managed to cut inside on to his favoured left foot but the Louth keeper pulled off another reaction save to keep his team in the game.
Dronfield’s tempo waned in the ten minutes of added time played by the officials. Warning signs were there in the fourth minute of stoppages when a strike from the edge of the box by Pierce Hudson curled narrowly past Naylor’s upright. Louth did get the winner a minute later however.
Again, Town failed to clear their lines and an innocuous-looking header by Wright hit the back of the net to see the three points remaining in Lincolnshire.
Dronfield still maintain ninth place in the table. Their hopes of a top ten finish now rest in results elsewhere with Staveley, Retford FC, Louth and Harrogate Railway still able to usurp their points total. A win for Dronfield on Tuesday night would see them eliminate the challenge of one of those opponents, Staveley Miners Welfare, and equal their best-ever points total at this level.
Louth Town: Lait, Nelson, Hudson, Parry, Carter, Aldrich, Wright, Swinn, Kendall, Jacklin, Southwood. Subs: Coulam, Evison, Brown, Stubbs.
Dronfield Town: Naylor, Fereday, Bebbington, Lester, Gladwin, Riley, Stewart, Knight, Rhodes, Lindores, Benson. Subs: Rooke, Siddons, Appleyard, Chapell, White.
Attendance: 84