Mexborough & Swinton Times – Saturday 12 January 1924
Sheffield Challenge Cup
Second Round Proper
Denaby Rally Too Late
Defeated By Monkton
Monckton Athletic 3, Denaby United 2.
On a heavy ground, at Royston, Denaby United met Monckton Athletic in the second round proper of the Sheffield Challenge Cup. Denaby had one change in their team, Peters taking the place of Chambers at right-half. Monckton had three reserves in their eleven.
The home team won the toss and kicked towards the railway end of the field. They soon got going on the left wing, and Simpson centred accurately for Cooper to concede a corner in the first minute of the game. No goal resulted, but Monckton kept the visitors on their own half until Cooper received from Godfrey and got away. The Monckton defence sent the attackers back, and Cooper almost let the forwards through by miskicking in front of goal.
Hamilton set his forward line going, and when well down the field Picknett shot behind the goal. Following a period of strenuous, unrefined play, Hetherington sent forward, but his pass was allowed to go out of play. Denaby again got going, but Bluer saved the situation for Monckton with a strong clearance.
Shaw and Cooper carried out a nice piece of combination work, and when placed in an advantageous position the latter was ruled offside from about the centre of the field. Parton sped down the wing and passed to Hetherington, who gave to Simpson, he then putting the ball behind the goal.
Denaby went away on the right wing, but they were unable to prevent the ball going out. Olleren shaw got the first goal after 20 minutes’ play, this being an obvious result of the continued pressure of the home team.
Hereabouts Hamilton was injured, and had to leave the field, and from a free-kick to Denaby Kennedy put in a beautiful shot which was just too high. Monckton swept down again, and a corner was conceded. This led to a dangerous scrimmage in the Denaby goal area. Bromage narrowly cleared the first shot fired in, and Cooper saved the situation when Parton missed a good opportunity of increasing the lead.
Godfrey was kicked in the face, and had to be carried from the field, and Hamilton returned. Olleren shaw ought to have increased the lead when Bromage rushed out and missed. The intense situation was saved by Winfield, who rushed up just in time. Picknett got down, but his efforts were spoiled, one of his colleagues handling.
Denaby were now playing the one-back game, and Monckton were frequently pulled up for offside. The home team missed another glorious chance when Parton centred, and Simpson, who was in the Denaby goalmouth, shot high over the bar. Cooper cleared a further dangerous movement by the home team.
Just on half-time Picknett equalised with a magnificent goal, which took the home team by surprise, and half-time came with the score: Monckton 1, Denaby United 1.
The teams, on resuming, each adopted the one-back game, and Monckton were again the first to make headway, Connor heading right into the hands of Bromage. Simpson got going, and passed to Olleren shaw. This player was brought down in the penalty area. Smith took the kick, and made no mistake in sending a clean-cut drive straight into the net.
Another free-kick to Monckton resulted in Simpson putting in a fine shot which Bromage did well to save. Immediately afterwards Simpson sent across another shot which Bromage put out for a corner. A fierce attack on the Denaby goal now took place, but the visitors eventually temporarily relieved.
After 15 minutes of this half had elapsed, Hirst, receiving from Simpson, cleverly screwed the ball into goal. This was easily the cleverest goal of the day. Denaby went down to the opposite end from the centre, but Smith cleared. Simpson was away again, and from a difficult angle he shot on towards goal. Bromage fisting the ball over the bar.
Cooper then took up the running for Denaby, and he made a splendid shot at goal which Downing did well to clear. At the other end Olleren shaw was down again, and Bromage brought off a fine save from one of the former’s shots.
With only fifteen minutes to go, and two goals down, Denaby considerably improved their play, and Kennedy put in a fine shot which seemed to have Downing beaten all the way, but which only rattled the upright and glanced outwards.
Ten minutes from time Kennedy reduced the lead with a powerful first-time drive which gave Downing no possible chance of saving. Denaby had now rallied, and were forcing more energy into the last few minutes of the game than they had into the whole of the previous play. Jobbins was injured, but after receiving the attention of the trainer, play was resumed keener than ever.
Denaby swarmed round the Monckton goalmouth. During this scrimmage the ball was sent into the net. The goal was disallowed, however, the referee ruling offside.
Monckton Athletic were the better of the two teams up to fifteen minutes from time, when they had very little chance of even seeing the ball. Denaby had evidently allowed their nimbler opponents too much latitude in the game, and then they had rallied too late, probably five minutes too late.
The unfolding of events was greatly surprising. In the first half the Denaby forwards seemed very awkward, and nothing like a match for the Yorkshire League men, whose passing and complete understanding was superb. In that first half, with ordinary luck, Monckton might have scored two or even three more goals.
The second half was as bad as the first from Denaby’s point of view. They seemed played out and very tired of it all. And then came the last few minutes. The passing moments were feverishly counted by the Monckton crowd, and only when the final blast of the whistle went did they give vent to their pent-up feelings by vociferous cheering.
It was a near thing, but for all that Denaby’s performance was disappointing.