CML Bonanza Part three

Dronfield Town 4-1 Thoresby Colliery Welfare.

Thankfully for us, a set of directions setting out the quickest route between the grounds was provided in the pack we got with the programmes. The Basford game finished at about ten to three with the next match at Dronfield Town on East Derbyshire kicking off at 4.30pm. The directions provided were spot on and we arrived in good time. It was anything but a pleasant journey though as we listened in to the Imps away game at bottom of the table Bath City. In the build up the commentator Micheal Hortin stressed how important it was for the Imps to get off to a good start in this game. He also made the point of how big a game this was for City. After four minutes City were 2-0 down and our game plan in tatters. The sad thing about it was that neither of us were really surprised that we were playing shite. Bath is a lovely city but you have to feel for the 180 odd City fans who drove down to watch this shower of shite.

 Anyway on to happier things

We pulled up in the car park at Dronfield at about 3.40pm so we just about managed to sit through the first half of the Lincoln game before making our way into the ground. To get to Dronfield's ground you need to make your way across the cricket ground. About halfway across the pitch Felice realised he had left his phone in the car so he sprinted back to the car to get it. As he collected his phone (he needed it in case his better half wanted some bread bringing back) One of the car park attendants asked him if he was "One of these grasshopper chaps" He swiftly put him in his place, puffed his chest out and proclaimed the term was Groundhopper. Grasshopper indeed!

The cricket pavilion was open and serving warm drinks and the "famous" Dronfield bread and dripping sandwiches. I didn't have one myself but they seemed to go down rather well. The entrance to the football ground is past the Pavilion and down some steps. Once inside the ground the first thing that hit you was the smell of the BBQ. I managed to resist but my travelling companion could not. Obviously the pie and peas a couple of hours ago didn't fill him up. Although the Imps were shit again he was delighted to learn that Italy had avoided the wooden spoon in the Rugby Six Nations by beating Scotland in Rome. The burger cost a very reasonable £2 and received great praise indeed.

Dronfield had a stall selling some smart club merchandise. I snapped up a badge for the standard £3 but there were also woolly hats, fleeces and other bits for sale all of which looked excellent quality. Infact the whole club had a good feel about it. The small painted red and black stand was rather smart and the whole ground looked very well kept. The club are in their third season in the CML but are another club who look like they are going in the correct direction and have a bright future ahead of them. They have a thriving junior section and many of the members were on hand helping out and acting as mascots (each home player was accompanied by a mascot when they walked onto the pitch for the pre match handshakes). The club looks like it is quite active in the community and it looks like they have a decent commercial team as the club has sold quite a few advertising boardings around the ground. All this is even more impressive when you remember that Sheffield FC (oldest club in the world and all that crap) also play in Dronfield and must attract quite a few of the floating fans in the area. Dronfield Town are currently fundraisng for a set of floodlights so lets hope the cash they made from hosting this game on the bonanza helps them achieve that goal. Mayby Sheffield FC could play a pre season game here next year? The Dronfield Derby what a mouth watering clash that would be.

Going into the game Thoresby had a decent defensive record having only conceded 9 goals all season. Dronfield were in third position in the table, 10 points behind the leaders Clipstone but with 4 games in hand. Thoresby were 16 points behind the leaders but had 7 matches in hand so both teams could yet make a run for the Championship. Thoresby had the best of the opening spell but once Dronfield took the lead in the 15th minute they never really looked like giving it up. Just before halftime the heavens opened and it pissed it down, even hailing at one point. We took shelter under the trees behind the goal. I must admit that this was the only point on the hop that i questioned my sanity and whether i needed to rethink my life. Lincoln had lost 2-1 to the worse site in the BSP and here i was watching a step 7 game whilst getting piss wet through. What sane person would be watching this?

Town extended their lead less than 5 minutes into the second half. The visitors did get back into it briefly when they scored with a neat shot from the edge of the box. Follow this Dronfield stepped it up added a further couple of goals. Although it ended 4-1 the scoreline was a tad harsh on the visitors as they created as many chances as Dronfield; the difference being Dronfield put them away.
All in all i really enjoyed it at Dronfield and even though they play in red and black stripes, i have nothing but praise for the club.
Onwards to Glapwell, our final stop on the hop.