Dronfield Town broke a run of four straight defeats with a comprehensive win over Worsbrough Bridge Athletic. A youthful Town team containing four of the current Under 21 side and four former representatives at that level took a 1-0 half time lead thanks to top scorer Max Rhodes. Callum Mawbey doubled Dronfield’s lead just after the break, quickly followed by Rhodes’ second of the encounter. Substitute Owen Lester wrapped up the victory ten minutes from time as a much needed three points heralded a climb to 14th in the Northern Counties East League Division One table. A tough early season schedule sees the Derbyshire side head to second placed Wombwell Town on Tuesday evening.
A raft of unavailability saw Dronfield delving deep into their squad but the youthful-looking line up acquitted themselves well. As early as the third minute, a testing right wing cross from Max Rhodes got stuck under the foot of James Lindores as Town went on the attack.
Worsbrough headed over unchallenged from a corner in the fifth minute but that was about as good as it got in the opening period for the visitors from Barnsley.
The eight minute mark saw Dronfield take the lead. James Lindores long throw was met on the half volley by Regan Rooke but as Worsbrough failed to clear, Max Rhodes made no mistake from close range to make it 1-0.
The game entered a rather scrappy spell, possibly typical of a 16th versus 21st encounter, but it always felt like Dronfield were on top as they proved in the 33rd minute when Cam Knight’s neat tee-up saw Lindores head narrowly wide of the post.
Town almost extended their lead twice before half time. Regan Rooke’s pull back from the goal line saw Rhodes and Lindores both fail to make clean connections with the ball in front of goal and on the stroke of half time, Callum Mawbey found himself clean through only for Briggers’ keeper Jacob Rabone to make a fine save with his legs.
Worsbrough’s Josh Brown turned a good opportunity wide inside the first minute of the second half but again that was the best they could muster as Dronfield soon doubled their advantage.
On 49 minutes, a superb deep right wing cross from Lindores zipped across the goal mouth as far as an unmarked Mawbey, who tapped home with the score at 2-0.
The advantage became three only two minutes later. Mawbey found himself in the clear once again but unselfishly turned the ball across to Rhodes, who had the easy task of firing home from nine yards out for his second of the game and Dronfield’s third.
Worsbrough rolled the dice by employing all their substitutes by just after the hour mark but it made little difference as Dronfield’s youngsters put in an enjoyable and entertaining display. Rhodes played in Lindores in the 76th minute but Worsbrough had Rabone to thank once again, tipping the shot out to his left hand side for a corner.
Things went from bad to worse for the visitors when substitute Lewis O’Connor saw red for use of the elbow and ten minutes from time, Dronfield wrapped up their comprehensive win.
A delightful ball forward found Mawbey free out on the left once more and he set substitute Owen Lester up for a comfortable finish to make it 4-0.
Dronfield still had time for substitute Charlie Vernon to round Rabone but the Worsbrough stopper recovered to make a point blank save from the Town winger and a Vernon low left footer was turned round the post by the over-worked Rabone deep in injury time.
The win was testament to Dronfield’s player pathway and their faith in promoting from the Under 21’s with all 16 players on display acquitting themselves extremely well. A similar level of commitment and skill will be required on Tuesday evening when Town travel up to Wombwell Town, who sit in second place with a maximum five wins from five in the league.
Dronfield Town: Naylor, Fereday, Noble, Matt Thorpe, Gladwin, Wright, Rooke, Knight, Rhodes, Mawbey, Lindores, Subs: Appleyard, James Thorpe, Vernon, Lester, Bovill.
Worsbrough Bridge Athletic: Rabone, Durose, Simpkins, Blake, Russell, Eagle, McQuillin, Cooke, Brown, Gillott, Grist. Subs: O’Connor, Stubbs, Swinburn, Walker, Birks.
Attendance: 107
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