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A crazy twenty five minute spell cost Dronfield Town dearly as they went down by 5-3 away at Glasshoughton Welfare. The Derbyshire side set off impressively, going two goals in front inside 15 minutes through Jake Hatton and James Lindores. Glasshoughton pulled one back through Joe Rawcliffe before a remarkable four goal salvo from Alexander Clarke put Welfare up by 5-2 at the half time interval. Dronfield pulled one back through skipper Sam Bebbington’s penalty with twenty minutes to play but had left themselves a mountain to climb due to the first half meltdown that allowed their hosts into an unassailable lead. The games continue to come thick and fast and with nine games remaining, Tuesday’s clash with Harrogate Railway at the HE Barnes Stadium looks to be another hugely important game in Dronfield’s bid to stay out of the bottom three.
The game could not have started in better fashion for Town. Glasshoughton failed to clear Connor Chapell’s inswinging corner and as the ball dropped, Jake Hatton was on hand to hook it home from close range and put the visitors one to the good.
Dronfield continued to go on the front foot and on 14 minutes got their second of the encounter. This time James Lindores went one way and then the other at the edge of the box before poking home into the bottom corner past Adam Hewitson to make it 0-2.
It took four minutes for Glasshoughton to pull one back. Alexander Clarke was allowed time to turn and thunder a shot against the crossbar and with the ball falling out to robust striker Joe Rawcliffe, he also managed to spin and rifle the ball into the net to reduce the deficit.
The goal sparked a jaw-dropping 25 minute spell with the hosts running in a further four goals by the break. Glasshoughton got back on level terms just two minutes later. Town stopper Nick Siddons found himself stranded off his line as the ball fell to Clarke, who lifted it into the net from 20 yards out to make the score 2-2.
Clarke doubled his tally and shot Welfare into the lead on 35 minutes. A long cross-field ball to the right flank found the number eleven in space and he raced through, slotting low past Siddons to put the West Yorkshire team in front.
Clarke’s hat-trick could have been an instant-replay of the preceding goal. Another long ball over to the right caught Dronfield out of shape once more and the wide man placed the ball low past Siddons with his left foot to make it 4-2.
Clarke capped an astonishing 25 minutes with his fourth of the afternoon on 43 minutes. Town were undone by another long delivery and this time Clarke had the presence of mind to dink the ball over Siddons and send his side into the changing rooms up by 5-2 at the break.
A pair of Connor Chapell set pieces came to nothing at the start of the second half, highlighting the gulf between the teams at that moment. Rawcliffe and Siddons went one-on-one on the hour mark and despite the striker lifting the ball over the net, the referee was having none of his protestations for a penalty.
Dronfield rolled the dice, bringing on Joe Pearson and Matt Thorpe for Arran Bovill and Owen Lester and the change paid almost immediate dividends.
Chapell’s free kick into the box from the left saw Pearson involved instantly, taking a knock in the penalty area. Skipper Sam Bebbington made no mistake with the spot kick, giving Dronfield a glimmer of hope at 5-3 with 21 minutes to play.
A visibly buoyed Town took the game to Glasshoughton; Lindores strike from 18 yards going straight at Hewitson on 71 minutes.
However, Welfare repelled Dronfield’s attempts for the remainder of the encounter to take all three points with their 5-3 victory.
Dronfield now sit in 19th place, above the relegation zone on goal difference from Nostell Miners Welfare in 20th. Their bid to escape the mini-league of the bottom five continues on Tuesday night when 12th placed Harrogate Railway make the long journey to the HE Barnes Stadium for a 7.45pm kick off.
Glasshoughton Welfare: Hewitson, Garfoot, Cullingworth, Harrison, Weaver, Patrick, Fish, Nelson, Flanagan, Rawcliffe, Clarke. Subs: Effah, Cassama, Sanyang, Hall, Worsfold.
Dronfield Town: Siddons, Riley, Stewart, Lester, Gladwin, Hatton, Chapell, Bovill, Rhodes, Bebbington, Lindores. Subs: Pearson, Hudson, Thorpe J, Wright, Thorpe M.
Attendance: 71
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