Denaby Utd – Denaby 1 Sheffield United Res 3 – Uniteds at Denaby.

27 September 1909

Sheffield Daily Telegraph – Monday 27 September 1909

Uniteds at Denaby.

Denaby United 1 Sheffield United Res 3

The meeting at Denaby of the home team and Sheffield United Reserve was productive of a fast game, in which both sides displayed whole-hearted determination from start to finish. Yet the fortunes and frowns of football were never more clearly evidence, for Denaby, who lost by three goals to one, certainly put up the best game, albeit their opponents walked off with the spoils.

In a word, the Bramall Laners were lucky, for well their defence worked in times of hot Denaby pressure, the home attack on least half a dozen occasion had Mitchell and Co. faced with conundrums which the ball obligingly solved bv crashing against the crossbar or whizzing inches wide of the post in fact anywhere; but in the net.

It was only-in the last five minutes that the Sheffield fellows, from a penalty and a corner, pulled through gruelling contest on the right side. Smith, the Sheffield right back, struck one as a resolute defender, who should train on into a good man when his dash becomes leavened by the judgment that comes with experience. McGuire was the best of three moderate halfbacks, and Thompson, at outside left, was the most enterprising forward.

As for Denaby, the whole team showed heaps of vim, but the attack was net so happy as usual. Dyal and Blackburn on the right lacking that familiar touch which has made them one of the best, if not the best, right wings at present playing in the Midland League. Hartley was a success in the centre, especially in the first half, when he side-stepped the United backs verv effectively. Little was seen of Glennon and Ball on the left. Chris. Kelley, while lacking the judgment of his brother Tom, now with Grimsby, made a satisfactory debut centre half, but Swinbourne, at right back, let his side down when United get their first and second goals. Hancock hadn’t much to do as Mitchell, but he had no chance with the shots that beat him.