Mexborough and Swinton Times March 18, 1927

Scunthorpe’s Third Defeat of Season
Denaby Joined the Elect
Dashing Inside Forwards

Denaby 3 Scunthorpe 2

For the third time Scunthorpe have come into South Yorkshire and fallen. On Saturday Denaby joined a very select circle of conquerors of the leaders. In this season’s Midland league campaign – Mexborough and Frickley are the only other members of it; so, though the championship is going out of the district this season, South Yorkshire is playing a very distinctive part in the competition as usual.

A little extra bit of dash and daring did it. JC Johnson made himself such a thorough nuisance to the Scunthorpe back from the start that they seem utterly unable to keep the ball out of his way. Even when it was not inclined to go to is feet they often contrive to put it there! This was the decisive factor in the game and it asserted itself early.

A little preliminary sparring – a few tentative moves on the greasy surface – then, all of a sudden Denaby were two goals up. It was a staggerer from which Scunthorpe were never allowed to recover, though they tried gamely and even desperately to the end.

A little busload of their keener supporters tried too, but even they were beaten in the end. The Froth Blowers Anthem in the Scunthorpe key at the scoring of Scunthorpe’s equalising goal in the second half was drowned by sheer superior volumes when it was transposed into the Denaby key a few minutes later. Denaby won the contest both on and off the field.

Still, Scunthorpe were far from favoured by the fortunes of the game. Their first goal – a very prompt reply to Denaby’s to – appear to me to be quite a good one, but Mr Taylor ruled Sims offside, Scunthorpe will never forgive him. Still later in the day JC Johnson got a goal of that kind – disallowed for offside. In the hall, though not quite so shrewd and open in their combination, Denaby merited their victory because of the spirit of adventure and daring do in which they played.

Green followed up on the off chance until it came off. McKenzie’s attempted clearance simply bang the ball against JC Johnson, with commendable prompts you took what the God sent him. Inspired Denaby were back again in a few minutes and again the backs faltered. Yet the chance seemed to be gone till Ben Johnson recovered brilliantly and scored with a hook that took everybody’s breath away.

However only 15 minutes had gone when the persistent efforts of the Scunthorpe team in general, and Simms and Alan in particular, develop tonight combined attack which left Simms for the second time with the goal at his mercy – and this time no doubt about it.