Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 5 September 1930
Better Work.
Denaby’s First Win.
Denaby 2, Rotherham 0.
Denaby seem to have got together a sound and workmanlike, if not polished side this season , and their 2-0 win over Rotherham at Denaby on Monday, before about 500 people, was decisive and fully deserved.
At the beginning Rotherham were the more impressive side. Their forwards moved with method and always seemed more likely to score than the Denaby line. The first corner fell to Rotherham after seven minutes, but Vollans, who had fallen back, cleared. Rotherham attacked again and Brannan cleverly saved a header from Lievesley. Play was more even after this, as the Denaby players began to find their feet, and Smith at centre-half was prominent in starting several clever movements. Vollans and Skeels on the left combined well, and Fisher on the right sent over some good centres.
It was from one of these that Denaby’s first scoring chalice came, but Skeels shot wide at close range. After 23 minutes Denaby scored, but the goal was disallowed, as Fogg had obviously handled the ball before shooting. Fisher and Gilchrist on the Denaby right began to be prominent, and just before the interval the bail was put through to FOGG, who gave Ward no chance with a fast rising shot. There was no further the first half.
Denaby were always the better team in the second half, and only fine goalkeeping by Ward and erratic shooting by the Denaby inside forward kept the score down. Gilchrist, who played better than in the first half, hit the bar when Ward was well beaten, and Vollans missed narrowly with a terrific shot from Fisher’s centre. The Denaby forwards showed more cohesion, the wings working especially well. Skeels found his old form and was well supported by Vollans and Mountney.
Rotherham began to flag under continued pressure, and were not standing the pace so well as Denaby, who were playing fast and open football. Smailes, the Rotherham centre half, got through much good work and broke up many dangerous movements, but Thorpe and Stewart were finding the Denaby wing too much for them. FOGG put Denaby further ahead after 25 minutes following a centre by Fisher. No more goals were scored, although Rotherham made strenuous efforts to score in the last few minutes.
Denaby were fell value for their win. Brannan was sound and at times brilliant in goal, Ashall and Williams after a shaky opening were stubborn backs, and the halves the not distinguish in attack, defended well. The Denaby forwards, with the exception of Vollans, did not get going till the second half, but afterwards they combined well. The shooting was, however never sufficiently accurate.