Mexborough & Swinton Times – Saturday 03 May 1924
A Sad Finish
So the home programme of the Denaby club ends in distressing fashion, with five successive defeats on the Denaby ground.
“What a fall was there.” The side which went through December, January and February without a defeat, who at the end of February were the most dangerous of Mansfield’s rivals for the championship, end the season with eight defeats in nine games, five of them on their own ground. Strange are the vicissitudes and the moods of footballers.
However, it is too late now to do anything but leave the subject with a sigh of regret for what might have been, and hope that another season will enable us to see a little more of the best of Denaby—which is very good best—and a good deal less of the worst—which is a very bad worst.
The lesson to be learnt is the lesson of consistency. Such mighty efforts as those that Denaby made do not pay, it appears, unless a side has the staying power to maintain them to the end of the season. In lack of staying power has Denaby’s downfall. Thus the indications are that for all their great spell of triumph, when they pursued an apparently invincible way, their near rivals, Mexborough, whose ups and downs have been fairly regular experiences throughout the season, will finish higher than the United.
Mexborough, evidently by last Saturday’s results, have still a little vigour and energy left. Here is Denaby’s lesson—to keep little in hand for the last lap. This is a very elementary principle of sport, but one that can often be ignored. We rejoice in Denaby’s many triumphs this season, but regret their failure that took the gilt off the gingerbread. Let them profit next season by the errors of this term.