Denaby Utd – Denaby 5 Long Eaton 0

January 1927

Mexboroug & Swinton Times, January 7, 1927

Denaby’s New Year Beginning.
Getting A Bit Of Their Own Back.

Denaby 5, Long Eaton 0

Denaby. – Bromage; Taylor, Hunter; Goodison, Barker, Windle; Wadsworth, Johnson, Mace, Green, Skeels.

Long Eaton. – Critchley; Marshall, Pierce; Tice, Terry, Walton; Kerry, Sloman, Gough, Davis, Fowler.

Referee: T. Tomlinson, Sheffield.

Whoever it was who let in Long Eaton’s New Year it is safe to assume he had not black hair, or else he was cross-eyed; perhaps he had both defects, because apart from abominable luck which deprived them of the services of two players at one period of the game, their shooting was all agley. One does not wish to convey the impression that with ordinary luck they could have stayed off defeat, but what is one to say of a Fate which, in the same two minutes, ordains that the knickers of a forward shall be so torn that he has to retire, and that the goalkeeper, in a valiant effort to stem a determined onrush shall be so badly injured that he has to be carried from the field? How’s that for smiting them front and aft?

Long Eaton were best served in defence but it was a poor best and did not prevent Denaby getting over with the goods. It was a one-side game. For a few minutes it looked as if we were going to have a ding-dong fight; the Long Eaton right darted forward; Hunter showed them the way to go home and them Denaby were knocking at the gate. The first sign of superiority came after about 15 minutes when there was a great mix-up in the Long Eaton goalmouth. The ball was kicked out of the scrambling group but was promptly thrust back by Taylor, and it was only after moments of tense excitement that Denaby were sent empty away. The cleverly arranged and the retreat was so orderly that in a minute or two Denaby had completely recovered, and JOHNSON, having tempted Critchley out, scored an easy but well-earned goal.

Three minutes later Long Eaton tried to race through and came near scoring after having upset two or three Denaby men, in their dash. The attack ended in a good shot from the right by Kerry which Bromage smartly fisted away. Green had a trip back to the other end but was so pleased with himself that his finishing shot went high over the bar. His excitement could be forgiven for at this stage everybody was imbued with the same spirit. The second goal came after 31 minutes as the result of a corner kick by Wadsworth which promoted a heading contest in the Long Eaton goalmouth. GREEN had the last word.

It was eight minutes from the interval when Davis had to retire because of the accident mentioned and while he was absent Denaby swarmed round the Long Eaton goal, the outcome of the attack being that Critchley was rather badly injured and had to be carried from the field. The Eaton men were not long before they had Davis back, but following another corner scramble MACE, just on half-time, scored a third.

Pierce continued to deputise for Critchley for six minutes of the second half when the goalkeeper returned to make up the full team once more. The half was only three minutes old, however, when WADSWORTH increased the Denaby lead.

Six minutes later as the result of a fine breakaway by the same player, MACE scored his second and the last goal of the match.

This half was characterised by wild kicking by Long Eaton; perhaps taking long shots were their only hope – because Hunter and Taylor were far too good to allow the opposing forwards to get near – but one expected that the shots would have been something like on the mark. Sloman made a hopeless effort, and Gough soared a hall well over the bar. Towards the end of the game the healthiness of the contest was affected by the tactics of the Long Eaton left defence, who marked Wadsworth as a dangerous man. The Denaby winger had certainly shown ability in getting through but there was no call for Long Eaton to cut up rough about it. They were beaten in any case and their treatment only provoked a reprisal by Wadsworth who was cautioned by the referee.

Denaby have an excellent set of players and it is difficult to single anyone out for special mention. There was a great deal of work by Barker at centre-half which aroused admiration and his steadiness in tackling proved a great help. He was ably assisted by Goodison and Windle. Hunter quickly became prominent with fine clearances and in him and Taylor the club have stalwart backs. The work of Wadsworth and Johnson was pleasing to  their opponents. Green and Skeels were given few chances but they played their part well, while the wings were wisely kept together by Mace. Bromage was not much in demand but was efficient.