Denaby Utd – Denaby 1 Scunthorpe 3 – First-Half Promise Not Fulfilled

September 1936

Denaby Disappointment
First-Half Promise Not Fulfilled
Points to Scunthorpe

Denaby United 1 Scunthorpe United 3

After overrunning the visitors in the early part of the game, Denaby lost control and Scunthorpe sailed ahead to win a rather unexpected victory at Tickhill Square on Monday. Denaby, with the advantage of the wind, in the first half did all the attacking but lack of decisive finishing was responsible for their failure to convert opportunities into goals, and when they turned around at half-time with a one goal lead only, their home spectators began to have gloomy anticipations of the trend of the game.

With Tremain, Happs and Lawson, the Denaby team awoke reminiscence of last year’s ill-starred Mexborough side. By a piquant contrast Earnshaw, last year with Denaby, turned out in the Scunthorpe goal. So much were Denaby in the Scunthorpe territory in the first half that it appeared that the game might have been played on half a football field, so infrequent were the Scunthorpe reprisals. Whenever there was a breakaway, Happs was coming in with his first time tackling and vigorous kicking. Of the forwards, Lawson was noticeable by his sparkling runs down the wing and his smart centres.

Wing Promise.

Fleetwood combined well with him, and it looked as though Denaby are to be strongest on the right wing this season. It was from this source that Denaby obtained their only goal. After two free kicks had been given, following the lobbing of a ball into the goalmouth by Lawson, Fleetwood drove the ball past Earnshaw.

Taylor, on the left wing, was a trier but his failure was in lack of ball control. Parkin at centre forward, played an enthusiastic game, and he is to be sympathised for an injury late in the first half which kept him out of the game. Smith was not prominent at inside left. Swift at centre half, with Happs, was the dominating figure of the defence in the first half, but when he was facing the wind he seemed to lose a lot of his early skill and dash.

Scunthorpe Understanding.

Scunthorpe played with much more understanding in the second half. Their forward line was shuffled and the effort was immediately noticeable. Too much work fell on Happs for him to be able to deal with it effectively. Barker, at left half, and Norris, at inside right, were the most attractive players in the Scunthorpe attack. It was the former who scored after seven minutes. Denaby made a futile attempt to win back but the absence of Parkin told its tale. Fighting against the strong breeze, they could not afford the loss of a forward. Norris increased Scunthorpe scored after 35 minutes, and two minutes later Porter sealed Denaby state with a smart goal.