Toolstation NCEL Division One
Dronfield Town 1-3 Hall Road Rangers
Hall Road Rangers captain Ash Dexter in action earlier this season. Picture: Lee Myers
Hall Road Rangers staged a second half comeback to keep the riveting promotion race on a knife-edge.
Inspired second half substitutions spared Hall Road’s blushes as they came from behind to see off a spirited Dronfield side, ensuring that their hopes of automatic promotion remain alive
Chris Savage’s 25th minute strike appeared to be condemning Hall Road to the playoffs, however the introduction of Jamie Coulson helped swing the game back into Rangers favour as they powered to a 3-1 win.
Following the disappointing draw in midweek at Teversal, three points was a necessity with only four games remaining.
The visitors started well, but lacked the telling quality which has seen them flirt with promotion throughout the season. Joe Cooper missed their best chance, when a sweeping move involved both Danny Norton and Chris Spinks.
The ball worked its way to Cooper on the right who when through on goal blazed over the crossbar.
Dronfield’s main outlet came through been direct and had a goal chalked off midway through the first half.
Josh Gibson latched onto a ball downfield however failed to beat the offside trap despite calmly rolling past Phil Dobson.
The hosts were not to be denied though when they took the lead in similar fashion almost immediately. This time Savage wriggled in between two defenders from a searching ball downfield and his made no mistake, finishing in the bottom left corner with his side-foot.
Hall Road had to wait until the 39th minute before threatening again.
James Piercy met Spinks corner with a header, only to bring a diving save from Joe Taylor. It looked like been a frustrating afternoon for the high flying Hall Road.
Manager Dave Ricardo shuffled the pack, he replaced Gareth Owen with Coulson in the second half and the change was a telling one as they finally found a way through on 62 minutes to equalise.
A dangerous cross from the right, was this time turned into his own net by Savage whilst under pressure from Coulson. Savage turned from hero to villain after earlier giving his side the lead. The goal proved the catalyst for Hall Road to switch through the gears in the final 30 minutes.
As Dronfield begun to tire, Hall Road’s quality which had deserted them throughout the afternoon came to the fore. After James Piercy hit the post with a header six minutes later Rangers nudged in front for the first time.
The busy Norton whipped in a near post cross which was converted by a Coulson header, his first goal for the club, since joining from Staveley earlier in the week.
Ricardo made another switch, bringing on another new signing Joel Drewery for Spinks, and the winger was a live-wire for the final fifteen minutes. The points were guaranteed five minutes from time with a third goal for Hall Road.
The hosts gave away a free kick and as Danny Norton drifted his cross into the box, central defender Ash Dexter set off on his run, and nodded home his ninth goal of the season to seal it.