Mexborough and Swinton Times October 13, 1906
No Score At Denaby
Unscientific But Vigourous Game
The Rover Strive Hard
Denaby The Better Team
Denaby United 0 Doncaster Rovers 0
The Football Association was probably never happier in its tying of teams for the first round of the qualifying competition of the English Cup than in the case of Denaby United and Doncaster Rovers. These teams have met before the competition, and to the detriment of the Rovers. Since the fall of the latter from their one-time highest state, they have commonly been regarded as inferior to the clever combination of colliers who represent the Denaby United club.
It was with some measure of optimism, therefore, that a crowd of about 3,000 wended its way to the more or less spacious enclosure in the shadow of the colliery, to witness the decision of an argument as to which other teams were entitled to take its place in the second round of the Qualifying competition. At the same time, the enthusiasm of the umpteen supporters was not entirely without counter attraction and it was evident that when the game went in favour of the visitors the Rover’s efforts were appreciated, there been a strong following of Doncaster enthusiasts. The game was fought out on vigourous rather than scientific principle, and one missed the delightful almost surreal, “tap tap” which one usually associates with the Denaby attack, when the ball is passed like lightning from forward to forward, avoiding the outstretched foot of the opposing half that looked like a thing of life. Although nothing of that kind occured to delight the art of the football scientist, the game was essentially a game of football; a hearty, end-to-end struggle for supremacy, with the issue in certain right up to the expiration of time, and not until the final blast of the whistle when was it certain that the Denaby team would have to journey to Doncaster to begin the battle all over again.
So satisfy was the management of the Denaby team with the splendid victory octane at the expense of Gainsborough Trinity that precisely the same team was placed in the field, and the full list of players was as follows:
Denaby: Hancock; Welsh and Lawley; Nimrod, Lees and Westwood; Brockhurst, Hunter, Hopkinson, Haropp and Eyre
Doncaster Rovers: Stacey; Ashton and Butler; Fretwell, Roberts and Dobson; Langham, Kennick, Gyte, Butler and Peat
the Denver men were the 1st to make headway, Lees causing Butler a great deal of trouble by a good pass to right wing, which the latter player intercepted and kicked out. Still the own forward could not be repulsed, and a united effort nearly had the effect of placing the home team won ahead, but while the scrimmage in the goalmouth remain, nothing but a scrimmage, Butler and Ashton managed to get the ball away.
Having recovered from the vigourous onset of the Denaby forwards, the Doncaster men began to assert themselves, and the right wing calls Welsh and Westwood endless trouble.
The danger overcome a pretty combination by Hunter, Harrop and Lees, brought the ball into the Doncaster quarters, but the final effort was tame, and the goalkeeper had nothing more difficult to dispose of than a free kick.
At the interval no score had been recorded, and neither side could definitely describe as a better team.
The game was resumed at a fast pace. The right wing for the most part in spider Denaby attacks, and while air was not idle, in the jewels us to be between Eamon Ashton the latter usually have the best of the argument. From a general Mallee in front of the Doncaster goal, Lee sent in hot shot, which was entirely unexpected, which, had it been a little lower would have been a certain goal.
That the visitors had a considerable following was provided by the artist of the cheering which greeted the referee’s decisions in their favour. We Denaby on the lookout for the very necessary goal, an exciting race took place between Hopkinson and Ashton, and with the goalline almost reached the latter succeeding kicking over the bar, the ensuing corner kick coming to nothing.
A stoppage was necessitated owing to a nasty kick in the face of Westwood, who, however, was able to resume.
Still the home forwards maintained in steady attack, and the Rovers were at a decided disadvantage. A united rush on the Doncaster goal was made, and the ball, by a miracle was tipped over the bar.
After many more incidents in a hard, uncompromising struggle of 90 minutes no team lacks its efforts and the whistle at length sounded the cessation of hostilities, with no score standing to the credit of either side.