South Yorkshire Times, December 29th, 1951
Holiday Fixtures
Denaby : Two Drawn Games
Denaby United 2 Gainsborough Trinity 2
Denaby United, who began the Christmas week programme with defeat at York, 4 – 1, on Saturday, drew 2-2 with Gainsborough at Tickhill Square on Christmas Day.
It was a good game under pleasant conditions. Gainsborough had a goal start inside the first minute through HOWSAM. Six minutes later, however, with the Gainsborough defence appealing for offside, WILKINSON ran forward on his own to equalise with a nicely controlled shot. After that Denaby had far more of the play but far too often fell into the Gainsborough offside trap which was exploited very well indeed.
Even so, United had sufficient of the play to have got a bundle of goals. In the latter part of the half Gainsborough made only spasmodic raids, but three minutes from the Interval right winger HUGHES gave them an interval lead.
The equalising goal came in the 15th minute of the second half and was scored by LAW following a goal-mouth scramble. The game had been quiet up to that point but thereafter it became really exciting and Denaby really turned on the heat. There were some very good scoring attempts but Street was in splendid form in goal.
Gainsborough made fewer, though nonetheless dangerous attacks which kept the United defence busy. United, on their part, had a large measure of the play without being able to drive home their advantage, and again, as in ! the first half, they were held up by offside decisions.
Both Harston and Williams were back, though Sarson was still an absentee, and Jack Rowney led the forward line.
The return game at Gainsborough on Wednesday was also drawn— this time 3-3.
Denaby played for about 25 minutes of the game without Alf Lee, who sustained an injury, and they . are hoping he will be fit for tomorrow’s match at Bradford Park Avenue. The team will be chosen from Jones: Harston, Williams; Cooling, Lee, Hibbert, Rhodes: Wheatley, Showier, Law, Rowney, Wood and Wilkinson.