Dronfield Town’s unbeaten start to the 2022-23 season continued with a very useful point on the road at Brigg Town. Dronfield, defeated 4-1 in the corresponding fixture last season, took the lead in the 69th minute through a terrific Sam Bebbington strike with Brigg equalising four minutes later through James Petronzio. The North Derbyshire side have now claimed seven points from a potential nine at the start of the campaign and welcome another team with the same record in Bradford-based Campion to the HE Barnes Stadium on Saturday.
A bobbly surface greeted both sides at the EC Surfacing Stadium and it took until the quarter of an hour mark before either side got a grip of the contest. Mark Fereday’s useful run down the right flank resulted in a low cross that was put out of play for a corner by the Brigg defence with Matty Ord bearing down on goal. From the corner, Brigg’s Charles Fisher headed on to his own post under pressure from the Dronfield attack.
Arran Bovill headed over from Ord’s far side corner in the 18th minute and the home side had the ball in the net on 21 minutes through Jack Richardson, his effort being ruled out for a clear offside infringement.
Dronfield weathered some late pressure to conclude the half. On 43 minutes, Steve McCarron’s spectacular overhead kick was tipped over equally spectacularly by Lewis Naylor in the Dronfield goal and from the resulting corner, a Brigg backheel saw the post come to Town’s rescue.
Into added time at the end of the half, Billy Wright deflected Richardson’s shot over the bar as Dronfield held firm to take an important 0-0 scoreline into the changing rooms at half time.
Dronfield suffered a blow at the start of the second half when Mark Fereday had to leave the game after a chase down the left wing to be replaced by James Lindores. The reshuffle saw Lindores move out to the right hand side with Sam Bebbington taking up Fereday’s central striking role.
Brigg, as befits a side that finished third in the table last season, continued to prove to be effective in the final third. On the hour mark, Naylor pulled off a terrific reaction save from Joel McFadyen with Billy Wright clearing off the line from the follow up.
Dronfield’s work rate and commitment saw them again weather the spell of Brigg pressure and indeed take the lead in the 69th minute. Sam Bebbington’s excellent strike on the angle flew into the top corner past a despairing Tom Collins in the Brigg goal to make it 0-1.
Town suffered another injury blow moments after as influential central defender Jake Hatton had to leave the field to be replaced by Tom Gladwin. The momentary disruption to the Dronfield defence saw Brigg draw level.
A telling ball low in from the left by Usher was forced home from close range by James Petronzio to make it 1-1.
Naylor made another crucial stop from Usher at the near post inside the final ten minutes but the points could have gone Dronfield’s way had Joe Pearson been able to convert when in a good central position and if Bebbington had found the target when Town had good numbers in the dying embers.
Nonetheless, Dronfield should quite rightly be very happy with a point against one of the sides that are always in the upper echelons of the Northern Counties East League Division One table and a return of seven points from a potential nine marks a very useful start to the new season.
Town welcome Campion, themselves with seven points from their first three games, to the HE Barnes Stadium this coming Saturday.
Brigg Town: Collins, Petronzio, Heward, Richardson, Fisher, Papprill, Pembleton, McCarron, Philips, McFadyen, Batty. Subs: Griffin, Usher, Young, O’Sullivan, Hutson.
Dronfield Town: Naylor, Mike Fereday, Stewart, Rooke, Hatton, Wright, Bovill, Mawbey, Mark Fereday, Bebbington, Ord. Subs: Gladwin, Lindores, Crowe, Pearson.
Attendance: 275
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