Sunday 6th May 2012 -- kick off 3pm
Played for the 13th consecutive season at the North Street home of Alfreton Town FC. Clifton have had a great first season in the CML. They will finish comfortably in mid table in the South Division, although with four league games still to play, they could finish as high as fourth place. Add to this an appearance in the Notts F.A. Senior Cup final and this final, the team from south of the Trent can be justifiably proud of their 2011-2012 season.
Dronfield currently lie four points behind CML North Division leaders Clipstone, but with three games in hand. After this performance today, the league and cup double looks a distinct possibility.
Grabbed one of the last vacant spaces in the car park situated just outside the ground - we had left a few minutes early to allow time to find somewhere to park, but on this occasion no problem at all. Richard Lane was on duty selling programmes, and was doing a great job although it seemed that the 190 print run was a little optimistic.
Rob Hornby came and said hello, as did our friends Barry and Judith from Loughborough. It was the love-birds first ever CML game and they were not to be disappointed as both teams put on a great display - and were a credit to the league.
Teams:
Clifton - Parlatt, Banister, Holtham, Robinson, Harvey, Richardson J, Richardson B, Anderson (C) , Haughton, Evans, Heath. Subs: Torr, Atkins, Miller
Dronfield - Siddons, Hemsley, Ashton, Rawson, Mintoft (C), Roberts, Gange, Gibbons, Horsfield, Gallagher, Wood. Subs: Tilly, Doran, Whitehead
Dronfield were in front with only 1 minute 45 seconds of the first half played! The ball was played out to the right and winger ANDY GANGE controlled superbly before opening his body up and firing left-footed past Joe Parlatt.
Micky Evans was unlucky not to draw Clifton level on 8, rattling the woodwork after Will Heath's misdirected shot found the striker at the far post. Alex Haughton fired wide after 13 minutes, but the All White's were undone again in the 17th minute by left footed right winger GANGE, another superb finish that gave Parlatt no chance.
Jake Richardson had a glorious chance to get Clifton back into the game seconds later, but after finding himself one-on-one with Nick Siddons, Richardson tamely fired into the keepers arms. Stuart Robinson had an even better chance on 22, but contrived to fire over from just a few yards out.
Clifton were back in it though in the 28th minute, when JAKE RICHARDSON drilled home low and hard after he beat his skipper Anderson to the ball. The Dronfield defence had failed to clear, leaving the two Clifton men to fight it out for the shot.
Richardson congratulated after netting
6 minutes before the break, Clifton were on terms - Jake Richardson playing BEN RICHARDSON in one-on-one with Siddons. The Clifton no. 7 made no mistake, sitting the keeper down before rolling the ball home. H-T 2-2
Michael Holtham headed off the line to keep the scores level five minutes after the restart, the full back was then replaced by Lee Torr. It was Torr who gave away the free-kick that lead to Dronfield's third goal. The kick found Trevor Roberts just past the far post, and his header back across goal was nodded neatly past Parlatt by Town skipper RICHARD MINTOFT.
Mintoft wheels away after grabbing Town's third
It became worse for Clifton on 54, Michael Banister mistiming a tackle in the area giving Referee Paul Vardy no option other than to award a penalty to Dronfield. There were no complaints from the Clifton players, and AIDEN ASHTON made no mistake from the spot.
Clifton never gave up, and almost reduced the deficit on 72, but Siddons did well to save Haughton's close range effort. Jake Richardson had a header tipped over by Siddon five minutes later, but Dronfield wrapped up the game soon after, DAN WOOD netting from 6 yards at the second time of asking, after Parlatt had blocked the players first run at goal. F-T 2-5
Admission £4
Programme £1
Attendance - no idea
