South Yorkshire Times November 24, 1945

Midland League.
No Fluke About This Grand Finale

Denaby United 6, Lincoln City Res. 1

Denaby staged one of the most astonishing finales to any game I have seen at Tickhill Square in years. Swinging the ball and disconcerting the Lincoln defence, they crossed over with a two goals’ lead, and well into the gloom of the second half, after DOOLEY had scored for Lincoln, there was nothing to indicate what was to follow in the last ten minutes. Rarely have they had such a joy day.

MOSELEY scored the first goal after 4½ minutes and converted a disputed penalty a quarter of an hour later. DOOLEY reduced the lead after 15 minutes in the second half and a subsequent thrill-packed 20 minutes had the crowd roaring until 10 minutes from time when KIRBY got Denaby’s third goal.

Ahal (we thought) that’s it! But we were totally unprepared for what was to come. Within two minutes MOSELEY had crashed home a fourth, three minutes later, before the roar had died, he had got a fifth, and the tall CLITHEROE, who had played a storming game at left-half, joined in the hunt and got the sixth with four minutes to go. In R.A.F. Parlance, Lincoln had ‘had it’ well and truly!

There was not the slightest fluke about Saturday’s performance, nor did it lose one scrap of its edge by any inferiority in the Lincoln side. After Dooley’s goal in the second half a prophet would have been a bold man’ for both goals bore charmed lives on so many occasions which saw an opportune foot or a luckily positioned back clearing the ball after the goalkeeper had been beaten.

More Than Settled.

Lincoln had a good deal of bad luck, particularly in the first half. Shots were blocked, shots hit the bar. And they strongly disputed the penalty awarded when the ball had cannoned on to Sharman as he sank to his knees in the goalmouth, hand to his sides. The ball appeared to strike his knee, but knees and hands were so closely allied that it was difficult to see from the stand. Moseley scored from the spot with a lovely daisy-cutter. Lincoln had a late goal disallowed for offside, but the last minute goal rush more than settled any doubt.

Denaby must have played as well in this game as at any time this season. They swung the ball, found their men, and had Walker constantly marshalling his defence. Lincoln, on their part, found few gaps in the Denaby defence and profited little from the exceptions, for they were almost entirely recovered by quick positioning. Full marks to Taylor for a grand display in goal, and a big hand to the whole of the forward line, Burton, Moseley, Kirby, Strachan and Hurd, notably Kirby, a newcomer, who was playing his first game for Denaby and delighted the crowd with a good deal of cool, calculated polish. More games like this and Denaby will take far more points than they lose. They sent us home on Saturday thoroughly warmed and heartened. A grand show!