Denaby Utd – Denaby 2 Grimsby Town Res 1 – Denaby Steal Grimsby’s Thunder

February 1937

Mexborough & Swinton Times, February 19, 1937

Out Manoeuvred
Denaby Steal Grimsby’s Thunder
And Hurl It Back

Denaby United 2 Grimsby Town Reserves 1

There was nothing haphazard about this game. It was just one of those curious twist of fortune which found a normally good (but usually unlucky) Denaby outmanoeuvring an equally sparkling Grimsby. And what exhilarating football! With the exception of odd spells Denaby largely dictated its course. And they succeeded, as I have pointed out, chiefly by outmanoeuvring their opponents. They adopted this fast-moving, open play of the Grimsby forwards and bought it off to perfection. For some 20 minutes in the second half of a somewhat bemused Grimsby groped around in a thick, thick fog wondering where the next advantage would be pressed home

Least Expected

It came when they least expected it – a glorious drive by Eddie Fleetwood yards out. It was just an opportunity snapped up in the twinkling of an eye – characteristic of a number of Denaby’s lightning raids this half – but the ball sped like a cannon ball and deflected into the net from the upright with Theaker hopelessly at sea. That goal won the match. Huxford might have counted himself unlucky to miss a gilt-edged goal with only minutes to go, but on the day Denaby deserved the spoils. The merit of their victory lay in the fact that Grimsby showed all the way why they are on the heels of the Midland league leaders: the explanation of it was that they were only as good as they were allowed to be.

The heavy going was hardly conductive to the brilliant game saved up for the whole of the 90 minutes but the fact remained that never for one minute was the issue in any degree of danger. In the very last minute of the game Grimsby staged an all in bustle and probably with 30 seconds to go forced a corner on the right. Had they been able to press home the advantage before the whistle went the result might, even as late as that, have changed in their favour. As it happened, the ball came into the goalmouth, was headed out to the centre of the field and was about to be cannoned back again when the whistle shrilled. And we breathed again. This completes a trio of really good games at Tickhill Square this season. First Barnsley, then Bedford City, now Grimsby! And the greatest of these was Grimsby!