Dronfield Town were comprehensively beaten by promotion-seeking Brigg Town in their first home game of 2025. The North Lincolnshire side took a 2-0 lead by half time thanks to two goals from prolific striker Josh Batty and ran in a further three in the second 45 minutes to take a fully-deserved 5-0 success. Owen Davey and Josh Jordan completed the rout with Batty claiming his hat-trick in between. Dronfield hit the woodwork through Matty Ord and Connor Chapell but never really looked like threatening the visitors, who cement themselves in second place as a result. Despite the significant defeat, the result was largely immaterial to Dronfield, who now find themselves locked in a league within a league at the foot of the table. Next up for the Derbyshire side is a huge Tuesday night visit to bottom team Appleby Frodingham.
The opening fifteen minutes were a cagey affair with neither side really asserting an influence on the contest. Promotion-chasing Brigg gradually began to put their mark on the game as demonstrated by Martin Pembleton’s rising strike from 25 yards that cleared the bar on 19 minutes.
A couple of minutes later, Dronfield stopper Lewis Naylor parried Taron Hale’s shot from 12 yards and as Brigg continued to dominate, Naylor could only watch Josh Jordan’s 20 yard skidding hit crash off his left hand post.
The deadlock was broken on 26 minutes. Dayle Hutson’s cross from the left hand side was met by the head of an unchallenged Josh Batty, whose cushioned effort found the back of the net in slow motion to put Brigg up by 1-0.
That lead was doubled by half time. The 42 minute mark saw Dronfield fail to clear the ball and all it took was a short sideways pass to Batty, who sidefooted in from close range to make it 2-0.
Dronfield made a brighter start to the second half. A good run down the left flank by Matty Ord saw Brigg scrambling to cut out his cross with Town leading scorer Max Rhodes advancing ominously.
Ord was involved again on 56 minutes when his free kick from the left saw Brigg keeper Lewis Hill making a stretch to tip the ball on to the post and to eventual safety.
The bright start came to an end one minute later as the visitors re-asserted themselves with a third goal. Again the Dronfield defence was at sixes and sevens as Owen Davey was allowed the time to make space and fire home from 12 yards out to make it 3-0.
Three became four on 66 minutes. Dronfield’s Jake Hatton completely missed his clearance as the ball came in from wide but Batty pounced to fire home on the half volley and at the same time claim his hat-trick.
The comprehensive win for Brigg was wrapped up on 70 minutes. An inswinging corner was met by Josh Jordan, whose glancing header found the back of the net with ease with the scoreline at 5-0.
Credit to Dronfield, who never gave up as demonstrated by Connor Chapell’s late left footed strike from the edge of the box that rattled the crossbar, but on the day they were thoroughly beaten by a side that look destined for another level next season.
While Chris Millington’s men are in real need of all the points they can gather, they now find themselves in a mini-league of their own as the battle for survival wears on. The first game against the teams in and around the men from S18 takes place on Tuesday night when they head to bottom side Appleby Frodingham for a contest that already has ‘must-win’ written all over it.
Dronfield Town: Naylor, Bebbington, Stewart, Thorpe M, Hatton, Riley, Chapell, Lindores, Rhodes, Pearson, Ord. Subs: Appleyard, Siddons, Wing, Gladwin, Flower.
Brigg Town: Hill, Ronis, Jordan, Davey, Hare, McCarron, Pembleton, Coley H, Hutson, Batty, Coley A. Subs: Lamplough, Haywood, Vazquez, Boswell, Graves.
Attendance: 158
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