South Yorkshire Times March 22, 1935
Few Thrills
Frickley Win Tame GameFrickley 4 Denaby 3
Frickley improved their position at the expense of their neighbours in distress Denaby, but there was nothing instinctive about the victory. Two mediocre sides gave one of the scrappiest displays there has been at Westfield Lane this season, the dullness being relieved only by Denaby’s fine bid, after being three goals in area to save a point.
There was one exciting period of eight minutes immediately following the interval in which three goals were scored and a penalty was saved by Breeden but it was the only thrilling episode in the match.
Most of the exchanges were lifeless. The crowd was bored, and had plenty of reason to be.
Frickley included two new wingers Tickle an Airey, but neither filled the bill. The team generally, however was much below form. Brigham and Kettle were uncertain in their kicking, and their faulty clearances would have placed the goal in frequent danger had the Denaby forwards been quick enough to seize opportunities.
Indecisions and feeble shooting was a weakness common to both sides, and the consequence was that neither Breeden nor Astle had many difficult shots to deal with. The halves did not inspire confidence. Hinsley commanded the centre of the field for Denaby. He tried vainly to open out the game, while Roberts distinguished himself at right half for Frickley and had Green and Burkinshaw tied up.
Apart from them no player earned laurals, unless it was Wraith for his opportunism which yielded him the hat-trick. On both sides there was bad passing. Understandingly and positional play were conspicuous in their absence. Denaby tried a new centre forward, Spencer, from Rampton (Retford) but he had little chance of showing worth owing to ineffectiveness of colleagues.
Two Penalties
Two penalties were given in the match but there seemed little justification for either. There seemed nothing illegitimate in the way Parkin was brought down in the area after a quarter of an hour, but the referee pointed to the spot, and Wraith converted the kick. From the press box the reason for the penalty being awarded to Denaby in the second half was not obvious but they failed to benefit from it, Breeden bringing off a brilliant one-handed save from Hinsley’s kick. Before this Frickley had established a commanding lead, Parkin adding a second goal after 37 minutes and Wraith the third three minutes after the interval.
The third goal was followed by an exciting eight minutes in which Burkinshaw and F Smith headed in from corners, sandwiched between Hinsley’s miss from the spot the thrills suspended.
But 10 minutes from the end Spencer equalised, only for Wraith to complete his hat-trick two minutes later with a low shot, to which Astle dived to late.
