Mexborough & Swinton Times – Saturday 6 December 1924
The Midland League
Denaby’s Revenge
Castleford Beaten After Keen Struggle
Improved Display
Denaby Utd. 2, Castleford Town 1
There was a period during the Denaby-Castleford tussle on Saturday when the spectators appeared to be getting really angry with the visiting team, and some feeling was displayed. Denaby had just scored their second goal, which, as it happened, decided the game. It was obtained from a corner by Brayshaw, and was one of the prettiest goals that have been netted on the Denaby ground this season. The clever inside-left kicked the ball over his head out of reach of a number of players struggling in the goalmouth, and it curled into the top corner of the net. Castleford’s goalkeeper, what the corner should not have been awarded, and the referee and linesmen were appealed to, but once, nor twice, nor even three times, but a good many more. And the crowd were annoyed by it. The writer was informed by a spectator standing near by that a throw-in should have been awarded, as the ball went over the line several yards up the field, so a protest was justified, although not in the form that it was made. Be that as it may, it is fair to point out that Denaby should have been awarded a penalty immediately before the corner in question. One of the backs pulled the ball down with his hands well within the area, but the referee missed that.
When Denaby were away to Castleford a few weeks back they lost by 5–1, their biggest defeat of the season. It was an off-day with them, whereas the Castleford team were on the top of their form. On Saturday Denaby gave their best display for the past few weeks, and Castleford, on their part, were not nearly so good. During the first few minutes Bromage prevented Searby from giving them the lead when a goal seemed certain, and the fact that Denaby were able to score first probably earned them their win. Anyhow, after they went ahead in the first half, Haddock, in the Castleford goal, had more than enough shots with which to deal and had the forwards finished a little better Denaby would have been several up at half-time. Certainly they deserved to be on the run of the play, but during a breakaway Allen managed to equalise. The fast pace at which the first half was contested was not maintained in the second, and play was scrappy and uninteresting for some little time after the change of ends, but when Denaby had taken the lead interest was naturally enough revived.
The Denaby defence was left unaltered from the previous week, when the team lost to Boston, and the match showed that the decision was justified. Bromage kept a good goal, and with the exception of one or two errors—which might, of course, have been serious—Lack and Taylor acquitted themselves very well indeed, their steady kicking and general resourcefulness being a feature. The halves have yet to learn that while they are essentially a part of the defence they have a duty to the forwards. In defence they were excellent; in attack they fell far short of that standard. Judicious passing to the forwards, and a little following up would have improved the game so far as Denaby were concerned.
The forward line underwent several alterations. An amateur centre-forward named Gray, who appeared with Durham against Doncaster Rovers earlier in the season, and who formerly played with Northampton, was given a trial; Brayshaw was able to resume after an attack of ’flu, and Pearson was able to take his place in the team again, having recovered from the knock he got at Castleford. There was undoubtedly a big improvement in the attack, and some really good work was done when the game was opened up, close passing being abandoned. It is hardly fair to pass judgment on Gray; one would like to see more of him before doing that. Bearing in mind that he was playing with a strange team on a strange ground before a strange crowd—all things that make a considerable difference—he did well, and the improvement in the forward line is, at least partly, attributable to his efforts. Decidedly he scored the first goal. Brayshaw is a fine inside-left, and he lived up to his reputation, but he wandered about too much. Bussey missed a sitter quite early in the game, but he made amends. His work with his head was often useful. Pearson, on the right wing, and Cooper, on the left, were a perpetual source of trouble to the opposing halves.
Denaby Utd.: Bromage; Lack and Taylor; Rhodes, Ashmore, and Windle; Pearson, Bussey, Gray, Brayshaw, and Cooper.
Castleford: Haddock; Smith and Guest; Greenwood, Batten, and Wragg; Cook, Eagleshaw, Searby, Allen and Charlesworth.