Two goals in the final five minutes led to heartbreak for Dronfield Town away at promotion-chasing Rossington Main. Town, with thirteen players unavailable for selection, saw their makeshift squad take the lead through Mark Fereday in the first half. Three second half strikes from the hosts, including two at the death, secured the points and their place in the end of season playoffs for the second year running. Dronfield’s quest to get the points that would secure their place in the division for another season, continues next Saturday with a trip to Rotherham-based Parkgate FC.
The Rossington pitch was well tended, avoiding the deluge of snow that had affected the Dronfield area. The North Derbyshire side were missing 13 players through injury and absence but managed to put together a squad of 15 to travel north to the outskirts of Doncaster.
Rossington’s Greg Young fired wide from an inswinging corner in the early stages but that was followed by a 20 yard strike from Dronfield’s Henry Adams that went past the post.
Mark Fereday, pressed into action despite not being fully fit, put in a useful right wing delivery in the 13th minute that Cameron Hill just failed to connect with but as Dronfield continued to press, they took an unexpected lead.
On 27 minutes, Charlie Stewart’s delivery from the left was controlled by Fereday with his back to goal. His turn and shot from the edge of the area deceived Lewis Hill in the Rossington goal to give Dronfield a 1-0 lead.
Lewis Naylor parried from Rossington’s Cody Prior as he shot through a crowd on 38 minutes but Dronfield’s busy and pressing display continued to pay dividends.
Four minutes from the interval, a Jake Hatton header at the back post came to nothing from Charlie Stewart’s inswinging corner but Town could be pleased with a hard working 45 minutes against one of the league’s front runners.
Predictably, Rossington made an up-tempo start to the second half. Danny Deakin’s left footed shot just missed the target one minute after the restart but the home side didn’t have to wait long to get on level terms.
Declan Slater’s right footed strike from 20 yards struck the woodwork on its way into the net to make it 1-1 with 47 minutes played.
Dronfield regrouped and kept their shape with Fereday often the lone front man as half chances from Young and substitute Buckham came and went without undue alarm.
A tired Fereday was withdrawn and replaced by James Lindores, himself making his way back from injury on 68 minutes.
Lewis Naylor smothered a Buckham shot on 74 minutes and a Harry Sheppard ball in from the right just evaded Brad Grayson’s attempted volley three minutes after.
Rossington didn’t have it all their own way as Dronfield continued the harry the opposition. Lindores challenged Hill with a header but the ball didn’t quite drop for Cameron Hill to get a clean volley in.
Having put in a tiring shift, it was unfortunate that the visitors were unable to at least claim a point. On 85 minutes, substitute Jack Watson cut inside and with Lewis Naylor having his shot covered, the ball took a deflection off Tom Gladwin and into the net to make it 2-1.
Rossington sealed the points with a quality strike three minutes from time. An outstanding finish from Watson found the top corner of the goal to give the Doncaster outfit all three points, second place in the table and a confirmed place in the end of season playoffs.
Dronfield could be pleased of the display from their heavily depleted squad, typified by youngster James Thorpe who was a late addition to the Town midfield.
Dronfield remain in 12th in the Northern Counties East League Division One table ahead of a visit to 17th ranked Parkgate next Saturday.
Rossington Main: Hill, Sherburn, Green, King, Wilson, Young, Prior, Grayson, Slater, Sheppard, Deakin. Subs: Watson, Buckham, Harrison, Kitchen, Kianga.
Dronfield Town: Naylor, Riley, Stewart, Thorpe, Hatton, Gladwin, Adams, Bebbington, Mark Fereday, Mawbey, Hill. Subs: Berry, Mike Fereday, Lindores, Abbs.
Attendance: 222
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