A third consecutive league defeat was the fate of Dronfield Town, going down by a comprehensive 4-0 away at Brigg Town. Dronfield were on the backfoot from the off, playing into a stiff breeze on an uneven surface and found themselves 1-0 down on 20 minutes after Lewis Naylor had saved a fifth minute penalty. The sending-off of Riley Noble on 35 minutes saw Town go in 3 goals behind at the interval and a late fourth for Brigg wrapped up the three points for the North Lincolnshire side. Dronfield remain two spots above the dropzone in the Northern Counties East League Division One table and will look to reverse their fortunes against Club Thorne Colliery in their next fixture.
The conditions appeared far from ideal as Dronfield kicked into the wind on a surface that appeared to have a minimum of preparation. However, home side Brigg threw themselves into the contest right from the off in a manner that wasn’t matched by the visitors.
Only 5 minutes had elapsed when the referee adjudged that Dayle Hutson had been clipped by Riley Noble in the box and pointed to the spot. Dronfield were saved by their skipper however, as Lewis Naylor dived to his right to save Josh Batty’s penalty kick. Noble collected a yellow card that was to prove crucial later in the half.
Brigg’s leading scorer Batty almost got off the mark on 8 minutes when he steered Josh Jordan’s left wing cross wide of the far post and 5 minutes later, the forward did put the ball in the net but his effort was ruled out for offside.
The pressure finally told on 20 minutes. A poor clearance by Dronfield allowed Batty to set up Hutson, who forced the ball home from close range to make it 1-0.
Dronfield began to show a bit of gumption after the goal but suffered another setback on 35 minutes. After initially seeming oblivious, the referee decided that Riley Noble had committed a foul some twenty yards from goal and after consultation with his linesman, who was even further away from the incident, brandished a second yellow card and sent Noble from the field.
The ensuing free kick saw Dronfield static as the ball was played forward to Batty, who slipped it past Naylor to double the host’s tally.
Things went from bad to worse for the ten men on the stroke of half time, when the ball was headed into the path of Hutson, who had plenty of time to turn and fire the ball into the bottom corner on the half volley to make it 3-0.
The second half proved to be an understandable non-event but Dronfield made attempts to make a fist of it by moving the experienced Callum Mawbey to centre back and advancing Arran Bovill into midfield.
The 57 minute mark saw the busy Batty hit a rising strike from the edge of the area that forced a useful save out of Naylor as Brigg continued to dominate.
Town rang the changes with James Lindores, Matt Thorpe and Tom Gladwin replacing Regan Rooke, Arran Bovill and Callum Riley but the little altered in terms of impact.
Brigg substitute Brad Ronis cut in from the left on 75 minutes but his shot grazed the outside of the post and went out of play.
An inconsistent display from the officials continued when appeals for a penalty by Brigg were waved away as Mawbey appeared to push Batty and it took until the 86th minute for Dronfield to have any opportunity of note; Max Rhodes just lifting the ball over Lewis Hill’s crossbar when put through on goal.
The killer blow came on 87 minutes when Batty got his second of the game from close range to make it 4-0 and seal a comprehensive win for the Lincolnshire outfit.
Dronfield need to regain confidence and return to the spirit that has served them so well in the past. The visit of Club Thorne Colliery to the HE Barnes Stadium next Saturday would be an ideal place to start.
Brigg Town: Hill, Ogilby, Jordan, Davey, Norburn, Fisher, Coley, Vasquez, Agnew, Batty, Hutson. Subs: O’Sullivan, Hutchinson, Ronis, Mascall, Boswell.
Dronfield Town: Naylor, Rooke, Noble, Lester, Bovill, Riley, Chapell, Stewart, Rhodes, Mawbey, Bebbington. Subs: Gladwin, Siddons, Thorpe, Lindores, Vernon.
Attendance: 196
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