Mexborough and Swinton Times December 15, 1906

Sheffield Challenge Cup.
First Round.
Denaby’s Fright.
Good Game At Kilnhurst.

Kilnhurst Town 2 Denaby United 2

Those to whom fell the unhappy lot of recording succeeding events on the Kilnhurst ground on Saturday afternoon were numbered amongst the most miserable of men. Underneath, the ground lay buried under a coating of snow which, while no doubt keeping warm the earth to which it acted as a coverlet, at the same time took from those who crowded round the ropes every ounce of vitality they had previously possessed.

Kilnhurst’s display was a surprise to everyone, and despite the manifest superiority of the visitors in midfield, there could be no doubt as to the determination of the Kilnhurst men. They were bent on a win, and but for the final burst which saw Bartlett beaten they would surely have accomplished their desire. It was a cup tie came in spirit and in deed, and the scoring of goals was the paramount object, finesse and artistry being placed in the background.

Unfortunately Denaby took the field without its usual right wing, Dyal being lamed, and Hunter’s absence arising from a far more serious cause. He had sustained a very serious fracture to his leg the previous day while working in the pit. The teams turned out as follows: –

Kilnhurst. – Barrlett; G. Carterer, and H. Carterer; Wendell, Lore, Tingle, A. Burkinshaw, J. Burkinshaw, Ripon, Wood and ball.

Denaby – Hancock; Welsh, Lawley; Lees, Tomkins, Westwood; Nimrod, Beckram, Hopkinson, Harrop and Eyre.

Despite the persistency with which Lawley got the ball the way, the home lot were to importunate to be denied, and the combined rushes by means of which they made onslaught on the Denaby goal taxed all the speed, skill, and resource of the Midland League defenders. Ball was a particularly exasperating thorn in the side of Welsh, who, for once in his life may be said to have caught a tartar in the Kilnhurst flyer. The latter carried out their tradition of the wasp to perfection. As Hancock, who had to deal with a plethora of stinging shots, will readily testify.

Still the Denaby men were charitably resolved that the Kilnhurst forwards should not be allowed to bear the brunt of the attack, Harrop and Eyre distinguishing themselves. By means of these repeated attacks, the game gradually veered round, and fortune smiled upon the men of Denaby. Nimrod, although obviously out of place, caused the smaller Caterer a world of trouble and on one occasion Beckram was just a little outing utilising a really fine centre from their heavy little quandom halfback.

Still the Kilnhurst men had by no means relaxed their efforts, and the spectators were not long left in a state looming and forbidding silence. Ball, rushing away on the left, centred splendidly, and Ripon had nothing to do but place Kilnhurst ahead, to the accomplishment of hoarse throated enthusiasm. Scarcely had the wildly exultant shouts subsided when Hancock surprised his admirers by fumbling a clearance, and allowing Wood to fasten on the ball and score. Then indeed the Denaby men, presented with such a debit balance, put up a stern fight and one which exhibited in a striking degree the class distinction between the two teams. Harrop, catching the ball on the run, as the result of a fine Denaby first, shot over the head of Bartlett into the net.

Thus stood the position of affairs at the end of half time, but everyone was aware (uncomfortably aware in the case of the home supporters) that the Denaby lot had warmed to their work, got into their stride, adapted themselves to the atrocious conditions, had, in fact, got their hand well in. Therefore, they played like Trojans, and only a deplorable lack of finish and sting on the part of the forwards could possibly have prevented a sequence of goals accruing .

In this respect the Denaby men had before their eyes a splendid example in the home left, Wood and Paul sending in shots which were invariably “on the premises.”

Darkness was by now closing in fast, and the operations were only to be viewed “as through a glass, darkly.”

Possibly this circumstance may have had something to do with the goal which Westwood scored in the last minute, when Bartlett, failing to follow the light of a well judged shot, allowed the ball to slip through his fingers, and the Denaby players were “quits” after having been extended to the utmost, and as the result of one of the most strenuous fights they have yet been forced to put up.