The Ambers made it three successive wins as they beat a stubborn and determined Dronfield Town 2-0 to progress into the ‘proper’ rounds of the FA Vase for only the second time in the last eight seasons, but it wasn’t the most free flowing of games to watch and the visitors left it late to finally overcome their Step 6 opponents from the neighbouring United Counties First Division.
Following their midweek exertions, The Ambers made three changes in order to rest some players and welcomed back the experienced trio of Johno Williams, Tyler Williams and Mitch Dunne, but even the quality those three possess could positively impact the scrappy nature of the game as both sides struggled to really get going in the opening stages.
Early excitement centred around Dunne’s chip over the bar after good work down the right by Mason Smith and Alfie Dodsworth, before a defensive lapse allowed Martin to round Jim Pollard before then failing to find either the empty net or an inrushing team mate, and The Ambers breathed a collective sigh of relief at the narrow escape.
The Ambers continued to probe but the home defence stood solid, and apart from an off target Luke Mangham header from Dunne’s cross, chances at either end were virtually non-existent, and it wasn’t until two minutes before the break that Town keeper Naylor was called into action as he saved a Smith effort from the edge of the box.
The general consensus at the break was that things could only get better, but the first fifteen minutes of the second half put paid to those hopes, and it took the introduction of Jordan Hines and Charlie Booker from the bench to finally provide the spark to ignite The Ambers.
Hines forced a point blank save from Naylor after Dodsworth’s driving run to the goal line, and the sub then fired wide on the turn, before the deadlock was finally broken after 74 minutes, when Dunne found just enough space in the box to smash home his fourth goal of the season after Smith’s excellent run and pass opened up the Town defence, and the game should have been put to bed a minute later when Dunne and Booker combined to set up a tap in which Mangham and Hines both contrived to miss out on.
Dunne then raced clear of the defence after Hines flicked on Booker’s pass, but this time Naylor won the duel as he saved well, and Hines then blazed a golden opportunity over the bar after Williams and Dunne had put the ball on a plate for him. The Ambers were now all over Dronfield like a rash but really needed that crucial second goal to kill off their opponents, and Hines eventually got his reward when he latched on to a pass forward to lift the ball over the keeper and into the net seven minutes from time to seal the tie.
So, after a tough afternoon, it was The Ambers who find themselves in the hat for the First Round draw, but next up is a visit to Retford United on Wednesday evening.