South Yorkshire Times February 25, 1950
Hard and Even Battle
Denaby Utd. 2, Mansfield T. Res. 1
Not an exciting victory,” I heard a spectator say as he left Tickhill Square on Saturday. No, but a useful one, all the same.
Denaby had a hard, even battle on their hands with a Mansfield forward line who matched them for aggression, but with a defence which was not quite so fast on the baIl. The result was a game which was always entertaining and livelier than many a match at Denaby this season with action which was sustained to the end.
If stories of missed chances are treated seriously the result should have been four—two. Rowney’s chagrin was very evident when he missed the second of two chances he had of scoring. Like the notable Mansfield near-miss, they were chances on a plate, but there were other exciting scrambles in the second half when Denaby often went near to increasing their slender lead. That Boardman header against the Mansfield bar was a notable occasion.
Edwards (picture) put Denaby ahead in the seventh minute, a goal which resulted from Saxton’s persistence. Simmons, always a lively Mansfield raider, got the chance he had been waiting for in the 40th minute, when he outpaced Charlie Lee and sent in a cross shot, not a powerful shot but a low ball which Mayhall couldn’t quite reach in time as it sped into the corner of the net.
Edwards restored Denaby’s lead six minutes after the interval, and it was the best goal of the three, a chance beautifully taken. Saxton’s was a welcome return and there was more fine work from Osborne, Alf Lee, McGuinness and the tireless Lockwood. What an amazing burst of speed Lockwood can turn on.
This was Denaby back into stride again. Ninth now, in the Midland League table!