South Yorkshire Times January 14, 1967
Denaby United 4 Harrogate Railway 2
They always used to say Mike Smith was a great worker but a poor finisher. It was hard to imagine why on Saturday when the Denaby United inside left rocked Harrogate Railway on their heels.
It was Smith’s sharp shooting which turned Denaby’s tactical superiority into goals and brought United a 4 – 2 Yorkshire league win over a willing, but disorganised Harrogate side.
Smith’s first goal came after 20 minutes at the end of a move, typical of the fine football that Denaby are achieving nowadays. Outside left Alan Cooper can take the credit for the buildup, outstripping Harrogate down the right from a standing start and crossing the ball, via Launders, for Mike Smith to hammer home off the underside of the bar.
Immobilised
A landslide was promised, but not for the moment as Railway equalised through Rutheven after 30 minutes with United defenders immobilised by the mud.
But the sticky goalmouth mess was no obstacle for Ken Launders after five minutes of the second half. He ploughed tank like through a wall of defenders and set the ball up for Barton to scramble into an Denaby’s second. After 60 minutes along came Mike Smith again and at the end of a strong solo run by Launders. The inside left saw Carrick block two point-blank shots before the third went in. A minute later Smith’s shooting boots made it 4-1 with a lob over the railway keeper.
A quick Harrogate counter-attack brought their second goal from Rutheven, but it was hardly consolation and certainly did not detract from Denaby’s creditable victory. The queer, sloping pitch, the wind, the mud had all been against them, but United had taken on the elements, plus Harrogate, and had beaten the lot.
Teams: –
Harrogate: Carrick 8; Otley 5, Tiffany 6; McGrath 6, Winters 7, Greensword 6; Palfrayman 7, Ruthven 7, Muade 6, Vincent 6, Egard 7.
Gordon Smith 8; Wiggles 8, Caunt 7; Wright 7, Cooper (B). 8, Ainscough 7; Cooper (A.) 8, Launders 8, Barton 7, Smith (M.) 9, Smith (G.) 8.