Denaby Utd – Denaby   2  Castleford Town  2 – The Return of Dodsley

19 November 1910

Mexborough & Swinton Times – Saturday 19 November 1910

The Return of Dodsley

Denaby United  2  Castleford Town  2

For the first time since September Denaby have failed to take full toll of a visiting team. On Saturday Castleford town, who will be remembered, created a sensation the other week by beating the League Champions, Chesterfield 8-1, were the visitors to the Colliery enclosure, and they were lucky to leave it with a point

As a game, it resembled the celebrated curate’s egg; it was good and bad in parts, and most of the good had a Denaby colour. Much interest was centred in the introduction into the Denaby team of George Dodsley, who has strayed back to Denaby from Bristol Rovers. He resumed his old position at outside left, and Smith, a hefty lad for the Doncaster Danesians, came as the latest candidate for the solution of the centre half problem, which neither troubled Denaby until this season. Thackrah and Nimrod were, therefore, re-placed.

Castleford’s Goal

Dodsley open with a brilliancy that suggested great things, but after he had twice failed to drive home glorious centres from Lang, he gradually died out of the picture, and in the second half particularly, little was seen of him. Smith, though somewhat crude in his methods, made a satisfactory debut, and looks like turning out a serviceable player, with a little more experience in this class of football. The opening of the game was sensational. Denaby went off with a rare burst, and Dodsley crashed a hot shot inches wide. In less in the twinkling Castleford were the other end, forcing a corner. This was beautifully placed by Robbins, and Foster, who worked such havoc against Mexborough, headed the ball home.

This reverse set Denaby going at full tilt, and the Castleford goal underwent a series of narrow escapes. The visiting attack was by no means idle, and Robins quickly shown himself by far the fastest player on the field. This turn of speed producing astonishment amongst those of the spectators who did not realise that the professional footballer’s printing champion was before them.

Denaby’s Goals

Singularly enough the champagne of the game sparkled on each right wing. Lang, after a series of disappointing displays, was bang in form, his footwork, centres and shooting being first class. He certainly deserved to score on several occasions, but a young man named Gray guarded the Castleford sticks in a style reminiscent of Suter at his best. It was some little time before Denaby equalised, and when they did Jones, as usual, and a hand in leading off. He slammed home a great shot which a Castleford player mainly attempt to head out. But the ball was going at a great rate and flashed off at a tangent into the top corner of the net giving great no chance whatever.

There was now no holding Denaby and they went further ahead through Lang, who success was very popular. Strangely enough both the successes came after Dyal, who had open in a mood suggestive of trouble for Castleford, having carried off the field as a result of a smash on the ankle, and he took no further part in the game. This naturally handicapped Denaby and at half-time the home team were in possession of a goal lead.

Castleford’s Equaliser

In the second half Denaby were always top dog. Shepard, in fact, although the visitors several times worked the ball close up, never had a shop to handle for half an hour, while at the other end Gray was called upon repeatedly to perform acrobatic feats against Denaby skeleton attack.

But Denaby had little luck, and towards the end, from yet another corner, Castleford managed to equalise through Crozier. In the closing stages Denaby made great efforts to recover lost ground, but could not get the leading goal.

After the players, the Denaby defence was consistently good, both Jackson and Gregory covering Sheppard well and holding out steadily under pressure. Smith did well at centre half, and the brothers Westwood played their usual sound game. In the front rank Lang was easily the “star,” and had Dyal been available throughout, it is possible that the home team would have got quite a crop of goals.

Castleford are not the great side they have been made out to be, though their forwards are fast and their halfbacks fairly good. Harry Crossley, the old Mexborough lad, found Lang rather too much of a handful.