Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 16 March 1934
Denaby Catch it Hot
Grimsby Town Reserves 7 Denaby United 2
The crowd at Blundell Park when Denaby United visited the league champions on Saturday was the biggest the local club had played to this season. Although Grimsby played better football they hardly deserved such a big victory. At one period Denaby had three forwards limping but though over robust the display of the home players was excellent. The forward line knew how to control the ball, draw the opposition and shoot
The Denaby half-backs had a lesson on how to feed forwards. The Denaby forwards did far too much running about but there were times when they troubled Grimsby. Two players who stood cut were Astle, in the Denaby goal, who made some remarkable saves, though he made two mistakes which led to goals, and Hodgson, Grimsby ‘s lanky centre-half. He kept close to Huck and Armand , but was puzzled by Mugglestone, the only forward to tackle him effectively.
Denaby fielded, the side that drew at Lincoln the previous week but Uren was unsettled in the first half, though Taylor was always ready to back him up. None of the half-backs impressed, their passes to the forwards often going astray. Mugglestone and Siddall were the pick of the forwards. Had Armand and Siddall combined better more goals would have been scored, for the latter kept Annables, the former Mexboro’ back, busy. For Grimsby, Lewis and Watson, the wingers, caused Barrow and Fitzgerald a lot of running about. Pontine was a thrustful leader.
Rain had made the ground very slippery, and Grimsby gained a sensational lead in he first half minute. MORALEE worked his Way from the centre, got the Denaby defenders completely guessing and flashed in a ground shot which beat Astle all the way. Watson, who was on trial, put in some neat work on the left wing and Astle was applauded when he got away a dangerous centre from him.
Denaby ‘s first Attack came after ten minutes, Siddall accepting a long pass from Skelton to put in a terrific cross shot which looked like scoring. but Theaker brought off a brilliant save. Dyson finished up a capital run with a well-placed shot and again Astle demonstrated his skill. A scramble in front of the Denaby goal ended in Moralee sending in a rising shot and Skelton handled. HODGSON took the penalty and scored with a hard drive after 27 minutes. This did not dishearten Denaby. Siddall beat Wattam and Annables but his low shot was partly stopped by Theaker, who let the ball slip through his hands but managed to scramble it away. Dyson swung the ball to Lewis, who seemed offside, but Denaby’s appeal was turned down. Lewis cut in and as Astle came out rolled the ball to PONTING who walked it into the net. Dyson had hard luck when a shot from him passed over Ashes head, hit the underside of the bar and came down for the goalkeeper to clear. Near the interval Dodsworth had to be carried off the field on a stretcher with an ankle injury and took no further part in the game. Astle brought off many fine saves to the delight of the crowd. Siddall broke away and his centre caused a scramble in the Grimsby goal, in the course of which the whistle sounded just before Haggar headed the ball into the net. The stoppage was for a penalty but Armand shot yards wide, and straight away Grimsby raced to the other end and Uren handled. HODGSON scored Grimsby’s fourth goal from the penalty. SIDDALL obtained possession in midfield, beat Annable and sent in a low cross shot which beat Theaker all the way. Three minutes later Denaby added a second goal. Siddall swung across a good centre and MUGGLESTONE headed into the net. Lewis, on the home right, fastened on to a pass from Moralee and shot. The ball rebounded from the framework and Dyson headed into the net. Towards the end Grimsby added two more goals through PONTING and WATSON, but Astle should have saved the last.