Denaby Utd – Denaby 3 Doncaster Rovers 1 – The Deciding Cup Tie at Mexborough

October 1906

Mexborough and Swinton Times October 20, 1906

The Deciding Cup Tie

Denaby United 3 Doncaster Rovers 1

When Denaby United skipped onto the Mexborough ground on Monday to meet the Rovers for the third time, they did not underrate the abilities of their opponents, well come on appreciatively during the last three weeks.

No, the United are not forgotten the narrow squeak they experience at Doncaster the previous Thursday, when Harrop came up smiling with the equaliser just three short minutes off the finish. Denaby played identically the same team, but the Rovers had to substitute Peat for Ashton at left back, Wragg, a reserve player filling Peats usual place at outside left.

It was again a dingdong struggle, but Denaby early received encouragement by scoring through Hunter after 10 minutes play.

The Rovers are disputed every inch of the ground, but Denaby acts distinctly the best of the first half, during which Butler, the Rovers dashing full-back, served up a number of brilliant clearances. Kernick got through, and netted for the “butterscotch” men shortly before half-time, and the crowd did not take kindly to the referee’s decision of offside. They overlooked the fact that the whistle was blown when Kernick first received, several seconds before he beat Welsh, who would hardly have been guilty of such a bad mistake had he not grasped the situation.

The Rovers had the best of the exchanges in the second half, but only few minutes remained for play when Roberts equalised from a corner. Quite the best shot of the 90 minutes was that put in by air, worked close in and struck the Rovers side post with a drive that at Stacey beaten to the world. It was worth a point, and a bit of sheer luck for Doncaster that it didn’t materialise. Yet, had Langham turned a simple chance to account at the other end, there would have been no need for extra time.

The Rovers up to then had fought well, but they simply curled up hopelessly after the extension.

Extra time was a veritable trial for Denaby, who played their opponents practically off their feet. Two glorious goals were scored by Hopkinson and Harrop inside six minutes, whilst Denaby continue to do practical as they like, the plucky Rovers could hardly raise a gallop. Denaby, in that little bit of extra time, crowding more sparkly football than was given by either side in the 4 ½ hours of the three games proper. It was an extinguisher, and no mistake about it.

Butler, of Doncaster, was again the best back on the field, but the defence of Denaby, as a whole, was the sound of the two, Hancock being the superior of his vis a vis. The Denaby halfbacks were wonderfully nippy and effective, and Westwood, if hardly so clever at feeding as Nimrod and Tomkins, excelled in defence, is clearances, under pressure of the cat Rovers, forcing home the fact that full-back is his proper and natural position.

The Rovers were game to the last.