REPORT: Last gasp winner condemns Dronfield to bottom three finish

A last gasp defeat at home to Selby Town combined with victory for rivals Nostell MW saw Dronfield Town resigned to a twentieth place finish in the NCEL Division One for 2024-25. Selby took the lead rather against the run of play through Finlay Wade and doubled their advantage late in the first half with a Matthew Dawes half volley. Sam Bebbington, presented with the Supporters Player of the Year award prior to kick off, pulled one back for Dronfield right on the stroke of half time but unfortunately saw his penalty saved by Selby keeper Joe Wilton four minutes after the restart. Matty Ord did put Dronfield on level terms just before the hour mark but Town were to suffer heartbreak as Nostell took a 1-0 win late in their game at Glasshoughton and Harley Adams’ diving header secured a 3-2 victory for Selby a minute into added time. Dronfield must now wait to see where the FA will place them for season 2025-26 after they have completed their final game of the campaign away at Shelley FC next Saturday.

The fine spring weather matched a bright performance on the pitch on the part of both sides.

Dronfield got off to a keen start. Lewis Naylor turned and shot from Matt Thorpe’s knockdown in the ninth minute only for Selby stopper Joe Wilton to pull off an excellent save to his right hand side.

Just two minutes later, Matty Ord managed to dispossess Wilton at the edge of the box but his shot in the direction of the empty net was sadly wide of the target.

When a goal did come it was rather against the run of play. As Selby hooked the ball forward in the 27th minute, Finlay Wade outpaced the Dronfield rearguard and lifted the ball over Jake Balme to make it 1-0 to the visitors.

To Dronfield’s credit, they continued to press and on the half hour mark, a pinpoint through ball by Ord found Max Rhodes, who was forced wide by Wilton, tipping the ball out of play for a corner.

Selby’s second clear shot of the encounter brought about their second goal of the game. Dronfield failed to clear the ball and as it richocheted around, Matthew Dawes connected on the half volley to put the North Yorkshire side two up.

The half wasn’t done yet. Three minutes into added time, a Connor Chapell free kick from the right was met at the back post by Sam Bebbington, who stabbed it home from close range to hand Dronfield a lifeline.

Dronfield carried that momentum over into the second half. Just four minutes had elapsed when Jack Bull was adjudged to have fouled Lewis Naylor in the penalty area. Sam Bebbington stepped up to take the spot kick only to see Joe Wilton save with his legs to his left hand side.

It only took a further nine minutes for Dronfield to get on level terms however. Bebbington’s shot from the edge of the box was intercepted by Matty Ord. He spun and fired home from around the penalty spot to tie the encounter at 2-2.

Dronfield were clearly in the ascendancy at this stage; Arran Bovill’s glancing header from another teasing Chapell corner just going wide of the mark on 75 minutes.

Selby ran their entire bench and it was to prove decisive as they claimed a last-gasp winner. One minute of added time had passed when a delivery from the right flank was met by Harley Adams, whose diving header hit the back of the net to seal a 3-2 win for the visitors.

Nostell MW’s eightieth minute winner at Glasshoughton means that the Wakefield-based side will finish in an unassailable 19th place in the NCEL Division One table. Barring an unlikely 27 goal swing in goal difference, Dronfield will end the season in 20th place and must wait into the summer to see whether the FA will hand them a reprieve at step 6 or send them into the regional leagues below.

Dronfield have one final fixture to complete their season – away at Huddersfield-based Shelley FC next Saturday.

Dronfield Town: Balme, Thorpe J, Bebbington, Thorpe M, Lester, Riley, Chapell, Bovill, Rhodes, Naylor, Ord. Subs: Lindores, Mike Fereday, Gladwin, Hatton, Mark Fereday.

Selby Town: Wilton, McGrath, Love, Racher, Marsh, Bull, Davison, Dawes, Clapham, Calvert, Wade. Subs: Dry, Charlton, Adams, Cooper, Greening.

Attendance: 143