Denaby Go One Better

Denaby 6 Boston 1

Denaby were never seriously extended by Boston and long before the end it became merely a question of how many goals they would get. There was a period after Boston had equalised in the first half when the visitors showed some fight but they were never able to add to the “gift” goal they scored and without concrete encouragement in the form of goals their opposition deteriorated considerably.

Denaby were forced to rearrange their team owing to an injury to Adams who twisted a knee the previous week and was found unfit. His place was taken by Hinchcliffe, the local youngster, who made his debut at inside- right in the F. A. cup tie against Guiseley. Hinchcliffe signed for the club as a centre forward in the first place. Potter moved from right half-back to inside-right, and Fred Smith the half-back who played so consistently last season but had not put in an appearance during the present campaign owing to an injury sustained in one of the practice games, came at right-half. The reorganisation in no way affected the balance of the side which again gave a lively and attractive display. The forwards were a little erratic at the start, and one or two useful chances went begging, but the line made full amends later.

It was singular that neither Hinchcliffe nor Potter, who led the Denaby attack in the first and second halves respectively, managed to score while the other forwards and one of the half-backs all got goals. Still, Potter was distinctly unlucky on more than one occasion and several times it was positively uncanny how Cook, the Boston goalkeeper managed to scramble the ball away from Potter’s feet. Both Potter and Hinchcliffe played unselfishly, however, and distributed the ball with marked success. McLean and Haggar toyed with the big defenders opposed to them. They must be two of the smallest players in Midland League football, but they can be none the less difficult to hold for all that. Haggar’s footwork on Saturday was delightful and there was not a better forward on the field. With Fitzgerald playing brilliant football behind them, this wing contributed more than half of Denaby’s total score, put in a more straightforward way Siddall on the other wing ably partnered in turn by Hinchcliffe and Potter, was not a whit less dangerous. He scored two splendid goals, his speed proving a rare asset on each occasion. Smith gave one of the steady reliable displays we came to expect from him last season and Seth King again found that he was not called on to exert himself. He made one or two praiseworthy scoring efforts from free kicks and one which struck the bar with Cook well beaten certainly merited a goal. Taylor, Skelton ad Hudson had a short period of brisk activity toward the end of the first half, but were equal to nearly all emergencies, Skelton in particular doing fine work, though he was at fault when Boston scored. For most of the game however the Denaby defence was well on top of its work. Boston were a big set but there was a lot of constructive ideas about the side which prevented them ever becoming really dangerous. Speight alone of the forwards showed any initiative and Cook was blameless in goal. Speight put Boston on terms after Siddall had shot a fine goal from Potter’s pass after fifteen minutes and for a time Boston held their own. The attempts of the halves to get the forwards moving properly were, however, clumsy and uninspired and Denaby soon retained control of the game. Haggar restoring their lead just before the interval. In the second half McLean soon increased Denaby’s lead and Fitzgerald got a fourth goal, the best of the match, soon after. He had worked over to the right and pouncing on a loose ball about 30 yards out took careful aim and fired in a terrific cross-drive which had Cook beaten from the moment the ball left his foot. The fifth goal was scored by McLean but made by Potter and Harry Siddall ran half the length of the field, as though the Boston defence had been non-existent, to score the sixth. Denaby’s display was decidedly an exhilarating one calculated to make their supporters more than ever optimistic.

TEAMS

DENABY: Hudson, Taylor, Skelton, Smith, King Fitzgerlald, Siddall, Potter, Hinchcliffe, Haggar, McLean.

BOSTON

Cook, Langley, Blakey, Skull, Buchanan, Ellis, Blessed, Speight, Pordham, Gillespie, Marshall.

REFEREE: T. Kirk, (Worksop).