Mexborough and Swinton Times October 19, 1907
Midland League.
Pretty Football at Denaby.
A Fine Game.
The Conquering Greens.
In anticipation of a well fought game, the crowd rolled into Denaby enclosure to the extent of something like 2000 last Saturday. The expectation was quite justified, for the Denaby and Worksop teams were mostly evenly matched. Indeed the visitors, who in the first half kicked towards the Colliery, took advantage of a stiff breeze, and were only worn down by the all-round superiority of the lads in green in the later stages.
The teams were as follows:
Denaby United. – Hancock, goal; Marshall and Lawley, backs; Nimrod, Kelly, and Michelle, halfbacks; Blackburn, Bennett, Betts, Thornton, and Ball, forwards.
Worksop. – Fern, goal; Cooper and Gregory, backs; paramour, Walker, and Westwood, halfbacks; Richardson, Wagstaff, Hadley, Walker, and Langton, forwards.
The game opened out with a swing, and the brilliant burst by Ball was the first noticeable item of the game brimming with incident. Then a very clever run on the part of Westwood deserved a better fate than to be tamely finished over the goal-line. Shortly after a foul by Lawley on Richardson Lech in Langton, who, with a clear field, shot hard over the bar. Clever play among the Worksop halves spell danger for the home defence, and Wagstaff once took a pot shot at goal, but the effort lacking power was easily disposed off.
The men of Notts were having more than their share of the play, and corner kicks fell to them in rapid succession, Mitchell proving an artist at putting the ball behind. From throwing at the Worksop end the visitors left got away, and catching Marshall napping, Wagstaff raced ahead with an open goal, though Lawley was pursuing hard on his heels, shot too soon, and consequently was well over the mark.
After the crowd had been amused by the vagaries of a small dog which persisted in joining in on the game, the clever footwork of Parramore came in for hearty applause. Worksop were all over the Denaby defence, but were singularly ineffective at the final effort, several shots landing over the old grandstand. Once, however, a lovely centre from Richardson was within an ace of scoring, Langton cantering up a fraction of a second too late.
Still Worksop attacked steadily, and Padley was going well for goal when Marshall brought him down, the Worksop player appealing loudly for a penalty kick. A freekick was awarded, however, and the ball was safely got away for Blackburn to take it to the other end in a hurry, and pass across to Bennett, who shot was cannoned away. Once more returning, Hadley went full tile for goal, and passed across to Walker, who missed with the goal at his mercy. This was the fourth occasion upon which the Denaby goal had escaped from almost certain downfall.
Then came the first goal of the match. The game was 30 minutes old when Nimrod put across to Ball, who had his shot cannoned away. Mitchell took the ball on the run, and placed across to Bennett, who calmly shot from 20 yards range into the cop top corner of the net, well out of reach of Fern’s outstretched arms – a remarkable shot, and one which was greeted with great enthusiasm.
Inspired by the success, the Denaby attacks became fast and furious. Bennett was once very near the mark with a beautiful grounder; Kelly because Fern to save in a tremendous hurry, and Betts failed to put through once during a scramble, with the goalkeeper prostrate.
As Denaby gradually improved and warmed to their work, so Worksop lost, bit by bit, their early superiority, and half-time arrived with Denaby having somewhat the best of matters.
Denaby got to work straight from the restart, and after, Bennett with a smart header, found Fern waiting for him, the left pressed hard and close, so that once the custodian was down on the ground, with Ball and Thornton trying hard to recover the ball, which was at last placed outside. It seemed as if the wind would prove an important factor in the play, and Denaby took advantage of it to the full.
With the half twelve minutes old, the Denaby lot were taken by surprise, the goal being swarmed, and with Hancock trying desperately to save a well directed shot from Hadley, the ball fell at the foot of Lawley, who, in the attempt to kick over, had the misfortune to put into his own goal, thus equalising matters. Straight from the kick-off, Denaby went down, and Bennett had Fern hopelessly beaten a glorious cross shot. Hereabouts the pace was very fast, the game being full of incident, and corner kicks abandon. Both sides were playing club football, and the close passing game was exploited to some purpose.
The Worksop backs, one being most vigilant throughout the game, once caught napping by Thornton, who dropped the ball out to Ball, standing in attendance. The light haired winger made straight goal, instead of slowing down and taking deliberate aim, hit his shot on the run, and was yards wide. Shortly after Mitchell was caught on the weak spot, the knee, and had to leave the field. Upon the restart, Wagstaff, who had been playing a fine game, troubled Hancock with a beautiful rising shot, which the Denaby custodian saved magnificently. A moment later, however, he was beaten by Pedley, who was standing underneath the bar, behind the two backs, and consequently the goal was disallowed.
From a goal kick Denaby got away, and splendid work by Blackburn forced the centre. The kick was over into the goal, Fern being helpless. By now the home team had the game in their own hands, and though Worksop still play smartly, the end was near: for the collier lads were playing an irresistible game. At last the whistle wemnt with the scores;
Denaby United ———-3 goals
Worksop —————–1 goal.