Denaby United Off to Great Double Flying Start

Denaby United 4 Gainsborough 1

the only thing wrong with the opening of the football season at Denaby was the weather. At Retford, in the Sheffield Association League, Denaby reserves won 4-0 with goals by Shelton, Law, bunting and Eyre, and as news of their fine start came through to Tickhill Square on Sunday evening, United’s Midland league side were beating Gainsborough 4-1. No wonder there was jubilation among the 1200 who saw them do it! It must be many season since there has been a first day like this.

On papers, Gainsborough had the “looks” – with Gladstone Guest in the forward line and a new halfback line which included centre half Whittaker (200 appearances with Middlesbrough), Adamson (ex Notts. County) at right half and Reid, like Adamson, a Scot, a left half.

But there it ended. The story of the game was the dazzle of United’s “new look” forward line. It is many season since I have seen Denaby give such a good performance as this.

The old defence – Smethurst, Hague and Cooper, Southall, Barnes and Gill at – was sound as ever, but here, at last, was a punch United have so often lacked.

The inside trio of Eagan, Martin and lumber, got going like a house on fire, and it was a 90 minute blaze. Martin, promoted from Sheffield Association to Midland League towards the end of last season and now signed by United, has never been better. All the cool thoughtful touches which characterised triallist days with Denaby last season were there and in equal measure we saw them, to, from inside by Eagan and inside with Lambard, Homes and Clark, and the wings, completed a forward line to which after the first quarter, Gainsborough had no effective answer.

There was a good deal of trouble from Guest Jones activity on the Gainsborough right wing during this early phase and the goal that always looked a possibility came after 20 minutes when Guest forced a corner and was there to push the ball over the line as Jones dropped it dangerously close to the Denaby goalmouth. There was some doubt in the minds of the Denaby defence as to whether, in fact, the ball had crossed the line or not. Smethurst had dropped onto it in Cooper was in close attendance, attempting to assist its clearance, when the whistle shrilled and the referee had obviously decided the ball had, in fact, been over, but Smethurst was still lying on it as the referee pointed to the centre. Eagan had had a good shot luckily deflected by Whittaker, Hague had killed a Gainsborough chance after Smith had headed against the post, and Martin had hit the post, following a Clark forward pass on to which he ran with brilliant anticipation. And the equaliser was delayed only four minutes, Eagan Martin and Lambert between them making the chance with Eagan snapped up to score.

It was the same story which brought Denaby’s interval lead: the scorer was Lambert, after 35 minutes, and Eagan could consider himself unlucky to miss scoring with another hard shot which left its mark on the post. The second-half opening in a torrential downpour, but within nine minutes Eagan had made the score 3 – one and in the 70^th minute Holmes made the fourth goal, scored by the tireless Martin. The rain ceased only for brief intervals and towards the end the conditions must have been shocking – as evidenced, indeed, by that 9-yard skid of Brian Clark, just before the end.