South Yorkshire Times April 18.
Five – two – three Style Puzzles ‘Em
Denaby United wore no numbers on their blue jerseys for their Midland League game with Scarborough, and it did not matter a bit – not for a team playing most of the game with three forwards, two half backs, and five fullbacks!
It was a pre-match plan that nearly paid off. Denaby’s idea was to prevent Scarborough from scoring by packing their goal and to score themselves in breakaways.
The five – two – three formation was something new to Scarborough, and it and then worried until they found that it could be beaten with shots from outside the crowded Denaby goal area. Another way through was to dribble the defenders out of position.
Very Dull
Strategically the five – two – three plan was effective for Denaby. It contained Scarborough for most of the game, but it provided one of the dullest matches ever seen at the Athletic ground this season.
Denaby will not win any medals for the negative type of football they are playing at present, not from a plying football public at any rate.
In their present position, the plan obviously suits Denaby, tired of being the “whipping boy” of the Midland league, and they worked it well in the first half of the match at Scarborough.
Denaby’s quick switch from defence to attack was seen when Coleman broke through to shoot. The ball was cleared to Betteridge, but he was scythed down and justifiable Denaby claims for a penalty were refused.
If Denaby had got a goal then from a penalty, they would have had Scarborough in real trouble, for the home defence was rocky.
Just on the half-time whistle Boyes found a chink in the Denaby curtain with a 20 yard drive on the run, which had Hough well beaten.
Scarborough scored their second goal in the 65th minute. Dunn got the goal when he nipped in between the Denaby defence to glide a centre from Franks into the net from close range.
It was all over and Denaby knew it, although Betteridge, Coleman and Jones figured in late breakaways. Denaby return to a more orthodox formation, keeping the offside trap as a defensive stand by.
Team: Hough; Whant, Wright; Ainscough, Wild, Clifton; Betteridge, Wharam, Coleman, Jones, Cox
Referee: A Challinor, Maltby.
Attendance: 2,200