Mexborough & Swinton Times – Saturday 26 April 1913
Another Blow.
Scunthorpe United 3 Denaby United 0
After Scunthorpe’s comfortable victory at Denaby two or three weeks ago it was scarcely to be expected that Denaby, with a depleted and, at the best, an uncertain side, would prove strong enough to turn the tables on a team which has been doing remarkably well since Christmas, both at home and away.
It was not surprising, therefore, that Denaby fared just about as well down in Lincolnshire as they have been able to do at home. The only difference was that, whereas they opened the score at Denaby, they never got a goal last Saturday.
They started off under a severe handicap, for Geo. Blackburn missed his train, and so they had to tackle Scunthorpe with ten men. Even then, their team was by no means representative, even of the mediocre side which has done duty for the club all the season. Jackson, Raybould, and the acrobatic Heath were all missing; and, under the circumstances, Scunthorpe could well lose the toss and allow Denaby what slight advantage they could derive from a cross wind.
Considering how ill-equipped Denaby were to give a reasonably good account of themselves; considering also that once more the strong wind prevailing made decent football a very tough proposition, the game which resulted was well worth watching.
Denaby Defending.
Denaby were, for the most part, on the defensive, but they stuck sturdily to their guns all through the first half and looked like crossing over with a clean sheet, when, just before the interval, Walden headed through from a good centre by Higgins, the ball just grazing the upright and leaving Marshall hopeless.
It was Walden’s first point for Scunthorpe against his old club this season, although he has been pretty prolific in general.
Bill Marshall was in Denaby’s goal, but it was quite evident that he is not a Heath by any means. At the same time the old Swindon full-back kept a good, keen look-out, and gave nothing away. On one occasion he rose to the supreme heights in dealing with a shot by Walden, which he fielded, but another one, with which Marshall had nothing to do, hit the upright, and the Denaby goal escaped in the luckiest manner possible.
Scunthorpe, who crossed over winning 1–0, never looked back in the second half, and Walden and Bell, who worked together finely, both kept busy.
It was not surprising that Denaby failed to score, for quite apart from the fact that Harry Ball, the old Sheffield Wednesday warhorse, was back in the team, that “groggy” knee of his having been patched up, they concentrated on defence and rarely had a chance of carrying the war into the enemy’s camp.
Sympathy.
One comment of the game says that the sympathy of the crowd was with Denaby in their trouble—the trouble alluded to apparently being the absence of four of the prominent members of the team.
Usually an ounce of help is worth a ton of pity, but it is very nice to have the sympathy of a winning crowd upon occasion. At any rate, that was all Denaby got out of their Scunthorpe fixture, and it probably represents more than they looked for.
Denaby did no worse without the four players referred to than if they had been able to go away with the full complement.
Knell of Parting Day.
Their case, so far as the Midland League is concerned is, I am afraid, hopeless, and the people who talk about cancelling the resignation and having another shot for the Midland League, must first guarantee a list of players who can win matches.
Next Saturday the curtain will be rung down on the most unsatisfactory season they have yet experienced, and it would be a brave man to venture to ring it up again.
The final match is at home, and Hull City Reserves are entertained.
We trust that for the final match—probably the last Midland League game which will be seen in Denaby—there will be a revival of the old enthusiasm, and that the old United, who, on their record, deserve a more glorious exit, may be cheered to leave the League a winning side.