South Yorkshire Times November 10, 1945

Midland League
Disappointing Day For Denaby

Denaby 1, Grimsby 2

Denaby can be justified in feeling a good deal of chagrin in losing this game. SAXTON gave them an interval lead a minute before half-time and they came back with a marked aggression which promised more. But just as the first half had been a series of bustling, end to end assaults, so was the story repeated in the second half and VINSON lobbed home an equaliser after 22 minutes. It was still anybody’s game. Then a clearance in the Grimsby area began to take shape down the left wing. Before the threat had developed the linesman began to wave frantically and continued to do so, but Grimsby were allowed to go on and VINSON pushed the ball into the net after Mellors had come out – just too far to save it. That goal sealed the issue.

It was not an exhilarating game and was punctuated by few excitements, but Denaby served up some good football and on their showing deserved a better fate.

Perhaps the most spectacular incident in the first half came when they were awarded a free kick well up in the Grimsby half. Grimsby cleared, and a long pass down the centre found Bateman unmarked. Cleverly taking possession on the run, he crashed in a terrific shot but to the roar of the crowd the ball rocked the left-hand upright and was cleared away on the Denaby left. Before this, Grimsby had moved down the centre and the ball had gone out to Browning who seized on to a long pass to put the ball across the Denaby goalmouth. But it was travelling just too quickly for Pashley to turn it to advantage.

Two goalmouth scrambles in successive corners forced by Denaby and a meteor-like shot by Rook which scared wide of the bar were remembrances of this half. The second half was more or less a repetition of the first. Grimsby forced two early corners but Mellors was there and the Denaby right wing, which had troubled Grimsby in the earlier stages, was seen to advantage again. Saxton put in a low shot which Bellamy only partly held but he managed to scramble the half away, surrounded by the Denaby forwards. Burton went close and again when he forced a corner. But there were few real threats to either goal. There might have been a little steadier in front of goal.

The Grimsby defence gave Denaby little opportunity for calculated football and the tall Belias was always in the picture. Burkinshaw had a good game, and the tireless Burton was a great worker. Burton and Hardy worked well together and were seen to advantage in both halves. Their speed and defence which was one of Grimsby’s most marked features. Asoulth too, featured in several bouts of which he had excellent mastery. But it was a disappointing day for Denaby.