Toolstation NCEL Division One
Armthorpe Welfare 4-1 Dronfield Town
Darren Mansaram celebrates in Armthorpe’s 4-1 win over Dronfield Town. Picture: Steve Pennock
Two goals from Luke Williams and one each from Darren Mansaram and Jordan Buckham saw Welfare win their first game in four matches in emphatic style as they defeated Dronfield Town.
Welfare were without the services of the injured Gary Lumley and the suspended Josh Bucknall but goalkeeper Adam Stevens and captain Steve Garner both returned after suspension along with Mansaram.
It was Mansaram who broke the deadlock in the fourth minute when he took advantage of a defensive mistake by Josh Gibson to break clear and slot the ball past the advancing Laurie Naylor from the edge of the box.
Five minutes later Welfare pressure led to Leon Larcombe-Loftus’ ball into the box being collected by Buckham at the near post and he turned and fired in an angled shot which Naylor did well to save.
Stuart Hill glanced a corner just over the bar for Dronfield on 20 minutes and Stevens had to claw away a looping header from Christian Savage on 25 minutes as the visitors showed their aerial threat.
The visitors equalised on 28 minutes when a corner was headed goal-wards with Savage being on hand in front of goal to head the ball well clear of Stevens and into the net.
Just ten seconds after the restart Williams restored Welfare’s advantage when he brilliantly controlled Buckham’s ball into the box from the right before firing past Naylor.
Stevens then made a great double save to push away a 20 yard shot from Danny Wood and then to save the follow up from Callum Mawbey.
There were then opportunities at both ends as first Mawbey flicked the ball on for Savage to break clear but he lobbed wide as Stevens came out and then good build up play from Welfare saw Lee Betts have an 18 yard shot well saved by Naylor.
On 44 minutes Welfare extended their lead with a well taken goal on the break by Buckham. Dronfield forced a corner which Betts cleared as far as Liam Radford who from mid-way inside his own half played a perfectly weighted ball through for Buckham to sprint clear and slot the ball into the net past Naylor.
Dronfield’s aerial threat continued early in the second half with an inswinging corner on 50 minutes being cleared off the line by Larcombe-Loftus but Welfare’s pace in attack was cauing Dronfield problems.
On 52 minutes Josh Dodd played a ball over the defence for Buckham to latch on to but he lobbed the ball agonisingly wide as Naylor came out.
Stevens blocked an angled shot from Savage on 63 minutes while at the other end Mansaram saw his 18 yard shot saved by the legs of Naylor on 72 minutes.
Welfare had two claims for a penalty in quick succession waved away on 76 minutes as firstly Buckham appeared to be pushed out the way as he tried to reach a Williams cross and then when the ball was retrieved Betts was bundled over inside the box but again this appeal came to nothing.
The result was put beyond doubt in the 86th minute when a defensive lapse left in Williams who broke clear from the two central defenders to beat Naylor from the edge of the box for Welfare’s fourth.
The Team
Armthorpe Welfare: Stevens, Larcpmbe-Loftus, Betts, O’Neill, Roberts, Radford (Hyde 83), Dodd, Garner, Mansaram, Williams (McKeown 90), Buckham (Leach 79. Subs unused: Jackson, Bedford.
Thanks to Steve Pennock for this report.