Mexborough & Swinton Times – Saturday 20 December 1924
“We Are Seven.”
Goals Galore Against Gainsboro’.
Denaby’s Great Victory.
Denaby United 7, Gainsborough Trinity 0
Those who did not desert Denaby for the counter-attraction at Doncaster, witnessed a match which aroused the highest pitch of enthusiasm, and in the second half even the most pessimistic supporter had to let himself go. The first half had been fairly evenly contested with Denaby slightly predominant, but after the interval with one or two exceptions throughout.
To open, a team like Gainsborough 7–0 is a feat to be proud of, especially when one looks into Gainsborough’s record for this season. The second, or Saturday morning, fourth in the table, and amongst their performances this season have been defeats of Barnsley 2–0, Lincoln 5–1, Sutton 3–0, Sutton 2–1 (away), and a draw with the leaders Mansfield 1–1, and Boston 2–2. Denaby scored seven with an adverse balance of goals, but were turned into a credit balance.
Denaby’s position in the League is not altogether by the victory, but Gainsborough’s dire, sheer illness.
The ground was on the slippery side, and a chilling wind blew so that conditions were anything but ideal. Gainsborough won the toss and elected to kick with the wind. Illingworth put the first shot in, and this went over the top. Joe Kitchen dashed along the right but weakly put the ball out. Then Windle made a fine clearance from a melee round the home goal, and after this Denaby never looked back. They took possession, but the Trinity did not allow them to have it all their own way until the second half.
Cooper slung a fine centre across, but Johnson got it. At the other end Copley and Lawrie worked all excepting well, but Kitchen made up for the centre. It was a throw-in from the left that had most Trinity across to Pearson who, two yards out, should have opened the scoring, but he did not accept the opportunity. Busch then got his head to the ball, and from Johnson’s clearance Burkinshaw might have scored. It went to run minute, had played when Bussey received not far from goal. The backs hesitated, and were lost. They both eventually tackled, but he beat them, and after a tricky but not footwork, scored a great goal. The youth promises to go a long way, and is a valuable acquisition to the Denaby forward line.
The game was cheering up a lot, but good football was seen. Lawrie rushed to Burkinshaw, who in turn gave to Illingworth, who mistook ground from an awkward position to get in a real great shot, which was saved at the expense of a corner. Gainsborough retired up, but Taylor was safe, and going to the other end Bussey cut in, returned from Cooper. The spectators now had a laugh, for Bussey dribbled through, then passed the ball out to where he expected Pearson to be, but the latter was 60 yards down the field tying a boot lace. Copley got well away and looked dangerous, when a Taylor clearance hit way, but Matt. took the ball from him. Fraggatt (W. H.) put in a high dropping shot which Bromage clasped, and then Kitchen put a great centre just under the bar for Bromage to fist out. At this stage there was very little in the game. Then Cooper sped along the wing and flashed a lovely centre across, from which Burkinshaw saw past the other defenders in scoring. This was after 42 minutes, and the whistle for the interval is that portion of the game.
The second half opened sensationally. Burkinshaw took the ball up the centre, and touched to Cooper, whose centre was met by a defender but the ball went to Pearson, who had run in and was just right and had only to touch the ball into the goal. Ashmore then tried a shot, and it was then five minutes Denaby had another goal. This time Brayshaw worked the ball through, and passed to Bussey, who found the net. A run to the Denaby end saw Kitchen again put the ball behind. Lack took a free kick about 40 yards out, and sent in a fierce ground shot, which Johnson did well to save. Had the forwards rushed up they could have netted from the partial clearance, which was all Johnson could possibly do with the shot.
With a very fine cross-shot Illingworth made the score “snap.” An after goal would have arrived had Burkinshaw passed to any of his forwards, who were all waiting, after he had cleverly got through. Johnson effected a clever save from Burkinshaw’s header from a pass by Pearson. Then the Trinity indulged in a flash in the pan. Milner dashing along the left, but Copley was beaten by Taylor when the centre came across.
After twenty minutes Brayshaw went through on his own and played in fine style, and culminated the effort with a grand goal. Cooper slung in another centre, but Johnson stopped Bussey’s shot. Illingworth and Kitchen brought Gainsborough again into the picture and this time Bromage had a centre to fist away. The seventh goal came after 25 minutes, and was the result of a good solo effort by Burkinshaw, who tried to repeat the performance immediately after, but Johnson came out and beat him. Again Burkinshaw went along, and this time Harris stopped him. Pearson was tripped up by Moore, and Ashmore’s long shot was saved. Raby got towards the Denaby goal, but Taylor intercepted. Denaby continued to press, but no more goals were scored though they might have got another when Brayshaw worked up to the goal, but the slippery surface prevented him shooting, so he passed to Cooper, but the ball spun off the latter’s foot just past the post.
And so came about Denaby’s biggest victory in this class of football. Following the quintet of goals against Riveton Park on Thursday, it appears as if Denaby’s forwards have at last found their shooting boots, for twelve goals within three days is something of an achievement. The average football crowd like to see goals, and in this match they had their money’s worth.
Gainsborough, on the whole, played well in the first half, and the second half lapse appeared unaccountable. For the first 25 minutes of the second half they allowed themselves to be borne down on Denaby’s flood-tide, but towards the end they recovered a good deal of their earlier stiffness.
Denaby United: Bromage; Lack, Taylor; Ashmore, Illingworth, Windle; Pearson, Bussey, Burkinshaw, Brayshaw, Cooper.
Gainsborough Trinity: Johnson; Fraggatt (W.), Harris; Tilton, Fraggatt (W. H.), Moore; Kitchen, Lawrie, Copley, Raby, Milner.