Mexborough and Swinton Times November 24, 1906

Denaby United, Doncaster Rovers and the Wind
Three cornered Fight
Denaby again in winning vein

Denaby United 3 Doncaster Rovers 2

a keen, searching blast; a terrible accompaniment of driving sleet; and the treachery and sliminess of the ground, were the noticeable features of Saturday’s match between Denaby United and Doncaster Rovers. It was the occasion of the fourth game between these rivals; and on account of the adverse conditions it may be put down as the least satisfactory – so far as the standard of football was concerned.

About 500 daunting football enthusiasts line the ropes, and they were rewarded for their unfailing devotion to the science of football by seeing their pets once more top sawyers.

The Denaby men settled down to the conditions with an adaptability which explains, in a measure, their success, and set off like a house on fire. In the closing stages they were fighting desperately to prevent the Rover’s equalising. Throughout the 90 minutes every man on the field work like a horse, and indeed, the heavy going did not afford scope for the “light fantastic tool.” Upon the whole the game may be put down as having been fought on dull, orthodox lines, the forwards on both sides providing for the edification of the spectators spasms of clever football.

Commencing the attack towards the Colliery goal, the Denaby men made their usual preliminary incursion. Dyal was the principal factor in the attack, and he began to make himself unpleasant by the simple process of placing a series of accurate centres in front of goal. One of these was seized upon by Donald Lees, who did some damage to the crossbar with a shot that was only inches too high. However, through the medium of Ashton, the ball was cleared out of the danger zone, and Stacey blessed those few inches with the fervency of a goalkeeper was experienced a narrow escape.

The pressure was not without result, for Hopkinson, finding the ball at his feet as a result of one of those matchless centres from the right, shot straight into the net. Stacey making a desperate but unavailing attempt to get the ball away.

The enthusiasm aroused by the initial success had scarcely died away when a loud yell went up, as Ashton, in the stress of the bombardment, handled the ball. Hopkinson, having apparently divested himself with a special pair of shooting boots, was entrusted with the kick, and a goal was scored, the ball going in off Stacey’s knee.

There could be no doubt as to which side claimed a preponderance of attack, and on one occasion shortly before the interval, the Doncaster goalmouth was crowded with Denaby players, and the ball travelled to Lees, at 30 yards distance from the goal.

Carefully, and after a studied scrutiny of the position of affairs, this veteran gently placed the ball over the ends of the anxious crowd into the top corner of the net. When the first shock of surprise advantage, the exploit was greeted with delight and cheers, and not a little laughter.

At half-time the Denaby men were three up, and the faithful few were shaking hands with themselves.

When the teams had changed ends the wind, which have been making itself comfortably felt, increasing volume, and the Doncaster men, recognising the advantage thus placed in their hands, immediately set out in search of goals. For a long time, however, their efforts were in vain, and while this was the weather to which they were opposed, the Denaby men stuck to their guns gamely. Langham, however, was very persistent, and but for lack of judgement in making the final shot, would surely have scored several goals.

The inside left, Butler, what however, was putting in some lovely work, and on one occasion he ran down with Peat, and the latter, passing inside at the critical moment, he shot into the net with a clever ground shot. A moment later a freekick was awarded to the Doncaster men well out, and from this the right half back, Fretwell, had little difficulty in scoring.

Then with both teams straining for a further goal, and quite regardless of the bitter cold, and the driving rain, which were by now forcibly impressed upon everyone else, the game was fought out strenuously to the end.