REPORT: New Year begins with a heavy defeat for Dronfield

2023 didn’t exactly begin in the prescribed manner for Dronfield Town as they crashed to a 5-0 defeat away at Worsbrough Bridge Athletic. On a day where many games fell victim to the wet weather, the officials at the host club did well to ensure a game took place but Dronfield looked like they hadn’t benefitted from a two week break from action as they went down to a heavy loss. Town must now dust themselves off as they welcome third-placed Harrogate Railway Athletic to the HE Barnes Stadium next Saturday.

Dronfield were without Matty Ord, who had transferred to Kiveton Miners Welfare in midweek and stalwart keeper Lewis Naylor through injury, whose place was taken by Under 21’s stopper Alfie Milnes.

Indeed, Dronfield had the better of the opening ten minutes. Callum Mawbey’s ball in from the left was sidefooted into the arms of Worsbrough keeper Josh Womack by Mark Fereday on six minutes and then, four minutes later, the same two players were involved when Mawbey played in Fereday, who outpaced the Worsbrough defence but placed his shot over the bar.

Worsbrough, playing the down the slope, opened the scoring on fourteen minutes. Marley Holt’s burst down the right flank ended in his low cross being tapped home from close range by Alex Hutchinson to make it 1-0.

The home side were clearly buoyed by the goal as just a minute later, Juninho Blake rattled the crossbar, the ball going for a corner as Milnes got his hand to it.

The lead doubled on twenty five minutes. The pacy Holt again broke free down the right and stood his cross up nicely for Mike Jepps to head home.

The floodgates opened two minutes later. A long clearance by Womack in the Worsbrough goal sailed all the way through to Hutchinson, who slotted home from the left for his second of the game as the score became 3-0.

Dronfield withdrew Callum Riley at half time for forward James Lindores and playing down the hill, a spell of pressure from the visitors ended with leading scorer Callum Mawbey firing straight at Womack.

Town gave a debut from the bench to recent signing Australian Henry Adams and continued to bring a good deal of second half pressure as Connor Chapell’s thirty yard half volley dipped over the bar.

Despite spending long spells in the Worsbrough half, the visitors could not find a way back into the contest. Womack juggled Mawbey’s overhead flick on seventy one minutes but the killer blow came three minutes later.

Jepps looked suspiciously offside as Holt fed him from the left but in the absence of a flag, the striker had no bother in securing his second of the contest at 4-0.

The afternoon was summed up for Dronfield on seventy nine minutes. Sam Bebbington was brought down on the edge of the area, the referee having no hesitation in pointing straight to the spot. Top marksman Callum Mawbey took the kick but found his shot saved by the legs of Womack as Town’s woes continued.

A forgettable Saturday was concluded on the stroke of full time when Worsbrough got their fifth. Another ball from the left found substitute Kyle Wordsworth in acres of space and he had the simple task of wrapping up the three points again from close range.

Dronfield must pick themselves up ahead of their next fixture. 2022 Playoff side Harrogate Railway are the visitors to the HE Barnes Stadium, already in third position in the table and looking good for another tilt at promotion this time around.

Worsbrough Bridge Athletic: Womack, Smith, Eagle, Glavin, Cadzow, Leach, Holt, Blake, Jepps, Robbemond, Hutchinson. Subs: O’Connor, Jones, Wordsworth, Valladolid-Collins, Wilson.

Dronfield Town: Milnes, Wright, Stewart, Lester, Riley, Gladwin, Chapell, Bovill, Mawbey, Mark Fereday, Bebbington. Subs: Rooke, Lindores, Crowe, Adams, Flower.

Attendance: 85