Dronfield Town’s eight game unbeaten run came to an end with an uncharacteristic 4-0 defeat away at Glasshoughton Welfare. Two goals in either half proved that the hosts were somewhat better than their seventeenth position suggested as Town failed to truly trouble Mark Bower in the Welfare goal. Strikes from Thomas, Ndombasi (2) and Harling saw Town drop to twelfth in the Northern Counties East League Division One table as they quickly look to put this defeat behind them before taking on Brigg Town on Tuesday night.
Dronfield had the best chance of the opening stages. Charlie Stewart’s corner found Sam Bebbington at the far post on eight minutes but the midfielder couldn’t make a sufficient connection as the ball went past the upright.
Town soon found themselves a goal behind however. Lewis Naylor made a useful save from Glasshoughton’s Harrison Rowley as the ball went out for a corner. From the resulting kick, Owen Thomas powered a ferocious header past the Dronfield stopper to make it 1-0.
Dronfield finally settled into the game midway through the half. Callum Mawbey, making his 300th appearance in a Town shirt, appeared to be having his jersey pulled in the area but the referee didn’t want to know.
Arran Bovill put in a teasing cross on 37 minutes that found Max Rhodes, who was unable to quite get his shot off and as the ball rolled clear, Owen Lester drilled his shot over the bar.
Mawbey pounced on a backpass two minutes later but saw his lofted attempt just clear Bower’s crossbar.
Things unravelled for Dronfield as Tom Staniland was sent to the sinbin for the second time in consecutive games and Glasshoughton capitalised.
Harry Spooner got free on the right and squared for Jonas Ndombasi, who finished comfortably to make it 2-0.
Dronfield made a succession of changes in the second half as the rain became torrential. James Lindores and Max Rhodes made way for Nick Benson and Connor Chapell and Benson almost profited immediately when his 20 yarder just cleared the Welfare bar.
The only time Dronfield truly forced Bower into a save came on 66 minutes when Bebbington forced the veteran keeper into a relatively easy gather as Harry Walker, Cam Knight and Oli Townsend were also introduced into the action.
Ten minutes from time, Glasshoughton got their third. Ndombasi slid his shot under the on-coming Naylor and the game was wrapped up on the stroke of full time when a William Harling strike concluded matters at 4-0 in favour of the home side.
For Dronfield, it was a case of putting this one down to experience. The previous eight games have indicated that this was just a blip against a side who are clearly better than their league position suggests and at a venue where many teams will find conditions tricky.
Town get an almost immediate chance to bounce back when they welcome 14th placed Brigg Town to the HE Barnes Stadium on Tuesday evening.
Glasshoughton Welfare: Bower, Makwedza, Thomas, Nyarko, Bernard, Walsh, Spooner, Atta, Ndombasi, Bell, Rowley. Subs: Chippendale, Smith, Harling, Grey, Semley.
Dronfield Town: Naylor, Riley, Staniland, Stewart, Bovill, White, Lester, Mawbey, Rhodes, Bebbington, Lindores. Subs: Walker, Chapell, Townsend, Benson, Knight.
Attendance: 86
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