South Yorkshire Times September 10, 1966
A Peep Into Our Files
it was Denaby 31 years ago!
On October 5, 1935 in the F. A. Cup first qualifying round, Mexborough town were beaten 4-0 at home by Denaby United. It was to be the club’s last meeting with anything at stake for 31 years – in fact until Saturday when the old rivals once again met in earnest in an F.A. Cup tie.
“South Yorkshire Times” sports staff recorded that 1935 tussle as a game which “will go down in local history as one of the most one-sided games there has ever been between these rivals in the competition”.
Indeed, Mexborough hardly had a scoring chance throughout the game thanks to the efficiency of Sykes, Lee and Clarke in defence Denaby goalkeeper Picken did not handle the ball until the game was 20 minutes old. Denaby took a 25th minute lead through Hewitt and the young centre forward, was deputising for the regular leader Blackburn, went on to score a first half hat-trick and sealed Mexborough town fate on the day. The fourth goal was added in the second half. It was, we are told, a brilliantly taken half volley from Eddie Fleetwood which left Tremain in the Mexborough goal helpless.
Tremain himself came in for glowing praise for some of his saves and handling of the ball, and the blame for Mexborough’s failure was laid on the doorstep of an unsettled and ineffective Town attack, considerably reshuffled without success
The Mexborough forward to impress was Lawson, and as a result Town supporters had to gain bitter consolation from the fact that during the previous season their side had decisively beaten their neighbours from Tickell Square on three occasions – including a 3 – 1 win in the cup.
United’s win was a real feather in the cap of the late Matt Taylor, then Denaby’s manager. The “South Yorkshire Times” sports editor wrote in praise of Mr, Taylors teambuilding abilities and added: “it is not often, I imagine, that anyone makes such a splendid start in his first managerial appointment.”
Under Mr. Taylors guidance, Denaby went on to score 34 points in the Midland League that season – their highest total in three seasons. But for the following three seasons their fortunes plummeted until 1939 they had only eight points to their credit.
It is worth adding as footnote that the receipts from the 1935 cup tie were nearly £73 – which was quite a “gate” reckoning that the ground charges would be about 6d. With a maximum charge for a seat in the stand of perhaps a shilling.