Denaby Utd – Ashington  4  Denaby United  0 – Denaby Shot Shy at Ashington

30 April 1960

South Yorkshire Times, April 30th, 1960

Denaby Were Shot Shy at Ashington

Ashington  4  Denaby United  0

Lacking power in front of goal was Denaby United’s failure at Portland Park, where they were well beaten by 4-0. Only rarely did any of the visiting forwards try a shot and when they did they were off the target.

In defence they had a powerful centre-half in Johnson, who kept his defenders together during heavy pressure from Ashington. In goal Davey did all that was expected of him, but the wing halves Oliver and Bourne failed to keep a close check on the ball playing Ashington inside men Ken Smith and Alan Smith.

The Denaby leader, Shaw, had a very thin afternoon against the sound display of centre half Ken Smith. Shaw tried to shake off Smith’s attentions by roaming but with little support from his other colleagues, it served no real useful 3 purpose.

Although inside forwards Guest and Slater worked hard for Denaby they, like their wing halves, failed to keep their wingers Friel and Jenkins’ with a good supply of passes, Had they done this Denaby might well have produced a goal or two.

Denaby lacked skilful approach work and shooting power, and Ashington gave them lessons in how it should be done. In the first half Ashington took a two goal lead through Ken Smith and Alan Smith, and, in the second half, new centre forward Mitchell, who has had experience with Plymouth Argyle, notched a couple of goals.

Denaby played their best football in the second half but there was no power behind their attacks, and the forwards did not receive the wing half support they should have had.

Teams—

Ashington — Mason; Wardle,. Newsom; Newton, Smith, K., Patterson; Lindsay Smith K., Mitchell, Smith A., Oliver.

Denaby—Davey; Williams, Foster Oliver, Johnson, Bourne; Friel, Guest, Shaw, Slater, Jenkins.

Referee — Mr. T. Bainbridge.