Denaby Utd – Denaby 2, York City 3 – Hot Finish at Denaby

January 1925

Mexborough & Swinton Times, January, 3rd, 1925.

Ten Minutes Rapid.
A Hot Finish at Denaby
Denaby United 2, York City 4

Denaby went down before a pretty large holiday crowd at Denaby on Boxing Day, to York. Most of the fun – for York – occurred in the last few minutes of the game.

York had Miller back at centre-forward after a long absence. For Denaby Person took Bloxham’s place at outside-right, and Illingworth, injured, was replaced by Ashmore. Denaby had just a little the better of the play in a fairly even first half, but were slow in from of goal. Miller missed a perfect opening from Shaw’s centre for York. The play was poor, the passing being inaccurate. But BUSSEY scored a good goal for Denaby following a good centre by Pearson, and a pass by Burkinshaw. MILLER was allowed to go through and equalise easily a few minutes before the interval.

In the second half, Denaby attacked for half and hour almost continuously, but simply would not shoot. Play was fast, but the kicking was little accurate passing. Burkinshaw had very hard luck with a shot that beat Smith, but hit the inside of the upright and run along the goal line to be kicked away.

The York defenders made numerous miskicks but the Denaby forwards were too slow take advantage of the chances. On the play, Denaby should have had a big lead at the end of about seventy minutes play, but they did not get a goal. A few minutes before the end the York forward line broke away, and BROWN scored. MILLER scored another two minutes later. A scramble at the other and resulted in somebody getting the ball past to Smith – it appeared to be BURKINSHAW who gave the final touch. But before the whistle went MILLER had got his third goal. It was rather a farcical finish for at least two of York’s goals were soft ones and according to everybody’s reckoning, but the referees, the last two goals were scored after 90 minutes had been played.

On play Denaby may be considered unlucky to lose but the fault was their own. They did plenty of work, but they were utterly incapable of finishing it off. Burkinshaw was dreadfully slow, Bussey and Cooper were the best of the line. Maskell was the best of the six half backs.