Denaby Atone for Home Slip

York City Reserves 1 Denaby United 2

Following the opening match of the season there has been some criticism of the Denaby team, but a side should not be judged upon its first performance. The critics should be satisfied with Denaby’s win at York on Saturday.

The weakness of the previous week was remedied by replacing Hickman by Skelton, who signed last week, while the veteran Matt Taylor, fully recovered from his illness, took his place at right back. Seth King was an absentee, having received a kick on the knee the previous week, and his place was filled hy George Rigby, the 6ft. centre-half from Bircotes who has been signed. Rigby more than came up to expectations and Clayson, the former Scarboro’ centre-forward. was well held.

During last season Paddy Fitzgerald, (picture) the Maltby player, seemed out of his position in the forward line, and this season, through an injury to Smith, he has had to play left-half. In the game at York was one of the best halves on the field and put his heart into the game to hold the tricky Whitelaw. On this form he seems likely to move on before long. Skelton, Aistrop and Potter still seem short of training, and this told its tale before the end of the game. McLean and Haggar were daring players while Siddall excelled on the right. Potter was brought down in the penalty area twice and Siddall three times but there were no penalty awards. At one time Denaby had only nine men while McLean and Hamar were being attended to on the touchline. Apart from making four changes York met with misfortune before the game started. E W Ainsworth, the ex-Hull City goalkeeper, met with an accident on his way to the ground and his place was taken by Smith, last season’s goalkeeper, who gave a good account of himself. Stather, who took the place of Wass at right-back, was better than Strain who was mostly impossible for the robust tactics which were introduced into the game.

Both goalkeepers were called upon to make early saves and after five minutes York gained the lead through a simple goal.

CLAYSON shot and Hudson ran across the goal to gather the spinning ball but allowed it to slip through his hands into the net. Within ten minutes Denaby drew level when STATHER put through his own goal. The back, in attempting to pass to his goalkeeper, lobbed the ball over his head. Hudson made amends for his error by making some fine saves. Denaby more than held their own and with a little more steadiness in front of goal might have been two goals up at the interval.

In the opening stages of the second half York had the better of the exchanges but Taylor relieved pressure. Denaby returned to the attack and when Siddall put across a good centre McLean headed over. The Denaby forward line was well on top near the end, shots being sent in from all angles. and McLean gave Denaby the lead with the best shot of the day.

Teams:

YORK: Smith, Stather, Strain, Fox, Malliason, Wightman, Whitelaw, Stainsby, Clayson.

DENABY: Hudson, Taylor, Skelton, Aistrop, Rigby, Fitzgerald, Siddall, Adams, Potter, Haggar, McLean.