Performances finally translated into results for Dronfield Town, who put up their display of the season so far to comprehensively defeat Ilkley Town by 4-0. The West Yorkshire side got the better of National League Halifax Town in midweek but were no match for Dronfield who were 2-0 up inside nine minutes through Max Rhodes and Connor Chapell. Sam Bebbington added a third on 28 minutes and wrapped up the victory six minutes from time with his second of the game to send the points back to Derbyshire. A climb of three places in the table to 15th was Dronfield’s reward as they now look to put together a series of results, starting with the visit of Louth Town to the HE Barnes Stadium next Saturday.
Artificial surfaces haven’t been happy hunting grounds for Dronfield in the past but they adapted quickly to the MPM Stadium, setting the tone with a high tempo.
The opening goal came after only 4 minutes. A trademark Sam Bebbington long throw out on the right was turned home from close range by Max Rhodes for the talisman striker’s 12th of the season and Dronfield’s first of an enjoyable afternoon.
The Dronfield travelling support didn’t have to wait long for a second. A 25 yard free kick from the left boot of Connor Chapell went to Ilkley stopper Matthew Keen’s left hand side and nestled in the back of the net to make it 2-0 inside 9 minutes.
Town’s work rate and commitment was clear for all to see with the re-signed Matty Ord proving to be very effective in the hole behind the strikers and young midfield partner Matt Thorpe putting up a display that defied his years.
Goal three came on 28 minutes. Arran Bovill did well to win the ball out on the left and in turn fed Sam Bebbington. The utility man completed the relatively straight-forward task of stroking the ball home with ease as Town virtually wrapped up the contest at 3-0.
Ilkley finally sparked into life on 31 minutes when Lewis Naylor saved from Alfie Dean and then saw Kevin Gonzalez shoot wide but the Derbyshire visitors remained almost untroubled.
A Rhodes strike with the outside of his boot brought out a save from Keen at close quarters on 37 minutes and a Dean dig on the stroke of half time grazed the outside of the post and went out of play.
Dronfield continued with similar purpose at the start of the second half. A quick Bebbington throw down the line after 2 minutes found Rhodes, whose shot from the edge of the box only just went wide of the mark.
Ilkley were playing for pride in the second period and did put the ball in the net through George Pearson on 48 minutes but his effort was ruled out for offside.
Ilkley went to their bench to try and gain something from the game and a momentary lapse by Dronfield allowed Joshua Parker a free header that narrowly avoided the post.
Dronfield too used their substitutes wisely. The exertions of a fast-paced start brought the fresh legs of James Lindores, Cameron Knight, Owen Lester and Charlie Stewart on to the pitch in good time to restore the visitors shape and ensure that they kept a clean sheet.
Ilkley’s Lewin Storton brought another useful save out of Naylor nine minutes from time but blasted his follow-up clean over the bar when he possibly could have achieved better.
Dronfield wrapped up the game in the 84th minute. Town’s final sub Ethan Flower played a sublime through ball to Sam Bebbington, who rounded the keeper and tapped into the empty goal to make it 4-0 with his fourth strike in three games.
It is no small compliment to say that you would have thought that the team’s league positions could have been reversed, such was the dominance of Dronfield on the afternoon. One swallow does not make a summer though and Town need to prove that it wasn’t a flash in the pan, starting with the visit of Louth Town to S18 next Saturday.
Ilkley Town: Keen, Brayshaw, Hendrickson, Nightingale, Pearson, Parker, Buller, Lane, Gonzalez, Dean, Smith. Subs: Storton, Hartley, Harris, Snowden, Miles.
Dronfield Town: Naylor, Riley, Noble, Thorpe, Gladwin, Hobson, Chapell, Bovill, Rhodes, Bebbington, Ord. Subs: Lindores, Stewart, Knight, Lester, Flower.
Attendance: 75
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