Denaby Utd – Denaby 5 Bradford P.A. Res 2 -Treating In The Grand Style

22 February 1958

South Yorkshire Times February 22, 1958

Treating Their Supporters In The Grand Style

IN this indifferent Midland League season Denaby United at least treat their supporters in the grand style. Saturday’s 5-2 defeat of Bradford Park Avenue Reserves was only the third time United have scored five goals this season, but each has certainly been an occasion.

They beat Upton 5-1 in the F.A. Cup on October 5th, they beat Grimsby Town Reserves 5-0 in that memorable first home victory of the programme on Christmas Day, and now they have recorded their second victory of 1958 in similar vein, and have picked up their first points since January 4th on their first home appearance since January 18th. Sounds like a book of statistics!

It was not an uninteresting match at Tickhill Square, on Saturday. Denaby had a downfield breeze behind them in the first half. At half-time they led 2-1 and the second half opened in a torrential downpour which made the soft going even more slippery.

And with the rain, the wind dropped. It is certain that apart from a close-range blast from Whittle, which fairly shook the Denaby post. Park Avenue would not have scored in the second half but for that heavy downpour. The goal they got via BOOTH. after 70 minutes, was from a shot Smethurst had completely covered and which he saw all the way. He went down on one knee to gather it. but as he clasped it to his body the wet. slippery ball just spun out of his grasp and over his head into the net.

Matched Them

United got away to a fast start but Park Avenue, who had an attractive forward line when it got on the move, matched them move for move and when Clegg crossed a swerving ball after five minutes,

BOOTH was there to divert it past Smethurst for a perfect winner. Most of the goalmouth scrambles. however, came in the Bradford area but it was 35 minutes before SHEPHARD levelled the scores and it was not until three minutes before half time that LEE made it 2-1. Earlier he had had a well contrived goal disallowed for offside.

EGAN diverted an Allott centre past French in the 60th minute after the Park Avenue goalkeeper had moved out to cover the winger’s’ centre, but Bradford came back into the reckoning with BOOTH’S goal after 70 minutes. United put them completely out of it with a SOUTHALL converted penalty two minutes later (4-2) and a second EGAN goal just four minutes afterwards.

There was considerable switching of positions later in this half, Barnes moving out to the wing,S hephard to centre-half and Allott to centre-forward.

That Park Avenue are fellow travellers near the foot of the Midland League table does not detract from this good cheer. A repeat against Mansfield tomorrow would be all the more acceptable.