The season started back on the 9^th September 2012 with the Ladies welcoming Glossop North End FC Ladies to Stonelow.  This was the first times the teams had met in a competitive game with Glossop having recently moved to the Derbyshire Girls & Ladies League.  Town lost going down 0-1 in a game they could have won.  The game marked the debuts for Town of Abi Gervis.

The next game for the team came at the end of September, when we entered the Women’s FA once again at the Qualifying Round 1 stage.  We travelled to face Oadby & Wigston Dynamo Ladies just south of Leicester.  Oadby & Wigston playing a level above Town had the better of the first half, but Town had a dream start to the second with Laura (Minnie) Hunt scoring direct from a corner.  Our opponents drew level in the 70^th minute with a debatable penalty.  In extra time, the weather comes into play when the wind takes a cross from an Oadby & Wigston player away from Lauren Broadhead in goal and into the top left corner of the net.  Shortly afterwards and Dronfield had an equalising goal/penalty controversially disallowed/denied, after confusion between referee and assistant and Town would eventually lose 2-1 at the end of extra time.  Very unlucky to lose, but showed what they can do at a higher level.  The game marked the competitive debut for defender Alice Raven.

Our second league game at the beginning of October saw us gain our first points of the season with a dominant 3-0 win over opponents Hasland Ladies at home.  Goals came from Annabel Davies & Laura Hunt, who got a further two goals for Town to increase her already burgeoning reputation as a goal scorer.  Laura Gervis also made her competitive debut for Town in this match.  The following week the team travelled the short distance to Killamarsh Ladies.  This game marked another debut this time for Laura Horsfield in goal, but it was marred by Town’s worst performance of the season losing 4-0.  Our third game of the month for us saw the team even its league record at 2 wins & 2 loses with a good home win against promoted side Mackworth St Francis (2-1).  Annabel Davies was on the score sheet once again with the 2 goals for the home side.

November marked the welcome return to the team of Jade Smith out with a serious injury since the pre-season.  Her first game back was a hard fought contest with Ilkeston FC Juniors & Ladies from Division Two in the Challenge Cup Round 1.  Ilkeston were impressive early, but fine work in goal by Laura Horsfield helped keep the game scoreless at half time.  After being out for so long Jade was rolled on & off the pitch (not literally), but still managed to make an impact going close late on.  The game ended in a draw and a replay would have to be fitted in at a later date.  A week later and it was back to the league with a tough trip to GFC Alfreton.  A fairly even game was decided by the award of a soft free kick to our opponents, who scored with a shot which passed through a body of players before going in the net giving the keeper no chance.

Next up was an eagerly anticipated game against AFC Dronfield in the County Cup.  We really wanted to win this game being a local derby and with many ex-players now playing for the opposition.  The game also attracted one of the team’s best attendances of the season.  Although AFC took the lead Town responded almost straight away with Tanya Huff scoring only her second goal for the team, but by half time AFC were back in front.  Second half, Jade came on and made an immediate impact going close after combining with Geraldine Eardley.  Jade equalised within four minutes of the re-start, after a good pass by Annabel.  Town then took the lead with a goal by Geraldine, before AFC brought the game back to all square.  Jade then took us back in front with Jane Barnett getting a fifth & sixth to finish the scoring.

December’s first game was the replay of the Challenge Cup against Ilkeston.  Making her competitive debut for the team was Danielle Procter.  Town took the lead just before the break with Jade scoring, but were pegged back four minutes into the second half.  Minnie gave us back the lead on 55 minutes, before once again Ilkeston drew level.  Despite leading twice, Ilkeston eventually prevailed in trying conditions to go through 3-2.  Our last game of 2012 was a quarter final against Long Eaton United in the County Cup.  Travelling with only one substitute due to injuries and work commitments, the team did their best against a team two divisions above them but eventually lost 5-0 and down to ten players due to match injuries.

Due to the weather, the team didn’t play again for seven weeks until February and that was a tough game against Killamarsh Ladies in the League Cup Division 1 Quarter Final.  The game marked the return to Town colours of midfielder Ruby Burns.  Jade put the team a goal to the good in the 12^th minute and we held that lead until half time.  Killamarsh equalised with 15 minutes to go, after Jade had rattled the cross bar and the ball had dropped perilously close to the line.  An excellent free kick by our opponents four minutes later put them through, but it was an excellent performance by Town after such a long layoff.  Two weeks passed until our next game and we were back to the league facing a home fixture against GFC Alfreton.  Geraldine Eardley had volunteered to play in goal for the team due to unavailability of the squad two regular goalkeepers.  Both teams were proving a threat going forward, but it was Alfreton who forced a fine save first out of Geraldine in the 13^th minute.  However, Town weren’t to be denied for long and goal machine Jade Smith put us in front with an excellent finish to go in at half time 1-0 up.  In the second half, the teams no nonsense defending meant we took all three points to move up the league & continued to be the most difficult team to score against in the league.  Another home game in the league followed with our next opponents being Hasland Ladies.  It was an impressive attacking performance by the team as we led 3-1 at half time with goals from Lauren Allen Warwick, Jade Smith & Laura Hunt.  In the second half, we got a further two goals coming from Jane Barnett and Jade to seal an impressive home win.

March saw us start with an away match at Little Eaton Ladies, who had moved to a new ground at Duffield.  Helping out at the right back was centre forward Kerry Rosenthal, who gave a strong & determined performance in defence.  Town took the lead a minute, before the break with another goal from Jade but conceded a soft goal in the 73^rd minute as the game finished tied and two points were dropped.   Next up was a welcome trip over the Snake Pass to Glossop to play Glossop North End FC Ladies.  On a cold & windy day, Town took the early lead through Geraldine Eardley but were pegged back by a free kick in the 17^th minute.  The wind got hold of the ball and mad the flight of the ball very hard to pick up.  The game ended in a draw, but the team again could so easily have had all three points.  Could these prove crucial at season’s end?  Our final game in March was an impressive 7-0 victory against St. Georges with goals from Annabel, Jade (2), Kerry, Laura Hunt (2) and Ruby.  Town struggled against an under strength St. Georges team in the first half, but finished the game strongly to rise to third in the league and only four points behind the leaders.  After the game, Manager Kevin Bradwell announced his decision to retire at the end of the season.

Into the final month of the season and we faced a tough game against Killamarsh Ladies with assistant manager Chris Sanders taking charge.  Town started the game looking vulnerable, but following a substitution we took the lead with a close range finish from Geraldine.  Killamarsh proved what a difficult side they are to beat, when they equalised on the half hour.  10 minutes into the second half and we retook the lead with a thundering drive from Megan Molloy.  The well-deserved victory saw Town rise to 2^nd in the league.  Next up, we travelled to Mackworth St. Francis with Chris still at the helm needing a win to keep our push for promotion on track.  Town went behind in the 16^th minute, but responded well taking the game to the opposition and getting a reward in the 39^th minute.  Ruby Burns superb corner was headed firmly into the back of the net by Jade.  In the second half, Jade gave us the lead before Captain Hannah Paterson cracked the ball past the keeper from 30 yards out for a final score of 3-1.  This victory left us just a point behind the leaders GFC Alfreton with two games remaining and with promotion in our own hands.  Two wins would ensure promotion no matter what anybody else did.

On April 21^st we travelled to St. Georges and having beaten them so emphatically in March, there were high expectations of the same kind of result this time.  Manager Kevin Bradwell was now back in charge, but things weren’t to go as planned.  St. Georges came out with a squad which had several changes and that combined with bad defending and the much improved play of our opponents saw us go in at half time losing 4-1.  A much better performance in the second half unfortunately did little to change the outcome as St. Georges were too strong and we ended up losing 7-1.  The destiny of the title was now out of our hands and other results would have to go our way.

In Manager Kevin’s final game in charge, we faced Little Eaton Ladies knowing we had to win to have a chance at promotion.  The team gave everything and took a well-deserved lead in the 23^rd minute from Laura Hunt.  On the hour mark, Jade made it 2-0 and split the defence again in the 78^th minute to make the final score 3-0.  Unfortunately, GFC Alfreton also won meaning they took the title by a single point.

The following week Town were confirmed in second, when Glossop North End FC Ladies lost.  A great achievement for the team, but one can only dream what could have been if we hadn’t drawn those two winnable games or done better in those we lost.  The baton now passes to Chris Sanders to take the team to the next level, but no-one will forget the dedication & commitment of the Manager Kevin Bradwell who has decided to retire.  As they say, Live Long & Prosper Kevin.

Andrew Naylor

Dronfield Town FC Ladies Reporter

THE END OF SEASON AWARDS 2012/13

YOUNG PLAYERS PLAYER – Lauren Muirhead

PLAYERS PLAYER –Megan Molloy

SPONSORS PLAYER (sponsored by the DRONFIELD NURSERY)-

Lauren Allen-Warwick

MANAGERS PLAYER- Helen Ireland

The last nine years have been great and I would like to thank everybody who has either played for or helped manage the team.

In my time as manager the team has moved forward every season both on the field and off

To finish the season as runners up is a fantastic achievement for all involved with the club/team.

I would like to wish Chris and the new coaching team all the very best for next season and I am sure the team will go forward and continue to progress.

Thank you for all your kind words and the watch which I will wear with pride and will remind me of my time as your manager.

I would also like to thank Chris Millington for awarding me the Les Millington trophy and the kind words he spoke at the club presentation night.

This award means a lot to me and I was honoured to receive it, the standing ovation was truly unexpected and the words that every one said to me just confirm what I already knew that we are all involved with a remarkable club and the team spirit in the club has never been stronger than it is at the present.

Many thanks to you all

Kevin