Market Drayton Town slip to narrow defeat in derby - with another local clash on horizon

Market Drayton Town slipped into the North West Counties First Division South drop zone after Dawley Town earned the bragging rights in Telford.

Dave Lloyd’s men were condemned to a third successive defeat as a challenging start to the campaign and new era continued.

Dawley, newly promoted to step six after success at county league level, prevailed 3-1 winners at the Theatre of Jockeys for the hosts’ first victory in North West Counties action.

The result saw Dawley leapfrog Lloyd’s visitors. Drayton exited the FA Vase at the first time of asking earlier in the month at Studley before an entertaining 4-3 defeat to Sandbach two Saturdays ago.

Lloyd’s side hope for better at Allscott Heath this weekend, but will be wary the hosts fired seven in a rout of basement boys Widnes.

Last Saturday’s clash in Telford hinged on missed opportunities for a Drayton side that created enough opportunities for a positive result but were left to rue slack finishing. Substitute Josh Beamond grabbed his side’s goal to pull the scoreline back to 2-1 with 15 minutes left, but Dawley found a killer third.

Dawley’s Brad Healey netted the first of his double in the opening stages, converting a rebound after Ash Rawlins’ initial save.

But the visitors were wasteful in front of goal as star frontman Cian McIntosh fired over the bar and was denied by Dawley goalkeeper Jay Owen, who would be named his side’s player of the match after a string of fine stops.

Drayton lost McIntosh to injury before the interval after he was on the end of a high challenge.

A few minutes after half-time proved decisive as home sub Cain Patterson beat Rawlins with a neat lob for 2-0, moments before Beamond missed a penalty for the Gingerbread Men.

Dawley cleared off the line before the lively Armando Wood fired off target. Beamond kept his cool one-v-one to pull one back but Dawley found a third with Healey’s second after good work from Danar Saber.