Long, Long, Way.

Denaby United 2 Sheffield Club 3

With a good deal of luck and a lot of hard work at Tickhill Square on Saturday, Sheffield club gave optimistic Denaby United a stiff reminder that it’s still a long, long way to the First Division of the Yorkshire league.

The confidence Denaby have developed in their two previous wins was cracked, if not shattered, by the well marshalled hustle and bustle of Sheffield, who had three goals in the home net in the first 25 minutes.

But like the seasoned and determined side they are fast becoming, United covered up, took a deep, communal breath and hit back with goals from Smith after 27 minutes and Kelly four minutes from the end and with all the stops out in the late second half, looked like salvaging the match,

The keystone of Sheffield’s success – if he will excuse the expression – was outside left Boulton, who was hovering on the edge of a goal area melee after 50 minutes to collect a loose ball and leave Hyde stranded with a shot into the far netting.

Flat-footed

Connelly again caught the home defence flat-footed from Bidwell pass with 21 minutes gone and Bolton completed the sandwich with the help of Connelly and Allen four minutes later.

Denaby were finding themselves pushed a little too hard and found it difficult to manoeuvre or gather their wits with Sheffield’s close covering and quick tackling. Then 0-3 down after 27 minutes, inside right Smith kept his lead to turn neatly around on to a Collins pass to slip the ball under the unprepared butler.

In the early second half Denaby were fighting to salvage their game. Jolley, Collins, Kelly, Smith and Williams all had chances which somehow came to nothing until four minutes from time when the centre forward hit a perfect shot to make it 2-3.

Two that stand out from the game. The first is that the power of Whant was sadly missed in this half back line on Saturday, despite a courageous, first-class display by right half Collins.

Denaby expects . . .

Last season, under similar pressure from Midland league sides with no more skill than Sheffield, United would almost certainly have conceded a fistful of goals.

They say a near misses as good as a mile – a 3 – 2 defeat no better than 2 – 10. The difference is that with the former you can expect improvement, with the latter you can only hope for it Denaby expects . . .