Denaby Utd – Rotherham Utd Res 2 Denaby 1 – Beaten after a Flying Start

April 1957

South Yorkshire Times April 13, 1957

Denaby Beaten after a Flying Start

Denby United got off to a flying start when they visited Rotherham United Reserves on Saturday. Egan sliced in a Martin shot to give them at 14th minute lead but less than a minute later Rotherham had equalised. Kettleborough scored a second goal good for Rotherham five minutes from half-time and as it turned out, was sufficient to give the Millmoor side both points.

Both teams provided fast, entertaining football in the opening stages but thereafter the quality deteriorated.

The Rotherham attack was led by former Denaby centre forward Ray Dixon, who found “Pip” Barnes in stern mood, and they set the style from the start – long, swinging passes which kept the Denaby defence at full stretch.

Denaby’s jubilation as they went ahead was short lived. Martin cracked in an 18 yarder which Jackson appeared to have covered Egan’s stepped into sliced the ball past the keeper.

From the restart play swung immediately to the Denaby end. Dixon tried a shot which Williamson parried but Farmer followed up to head the ball over Williamson’s outstretched arms. The fast moving Rotherham forwards cut through the Denaby defence time and again, searching for that second goal. It would have come earlier had Rotherham utilised the open space to better advantage. When it did come, after 40 minutes, it appears that Denaby were justified in their protests to the referee.

They claim Kettleborough was offside when he headed past Williamson. The goal followed a freekick just outside the Denaby area on the left. As the ball went loose in the middle the Denaby defence moved up, leaving Kettleborough on his own in the goal area. A Rotherham forward lobbed the ball through and Kettleborough headed neatly into goal.

Denaby came out for the second half of their sleeves rolled up and Rotherham were on the receiving end for a long time. But Rotherham hit back  and in one advanced Barnes moves across to dispossess Kettleborough . It looked a fair tackle but Rotherham were awarded a penalty. As it happened no harm was done. Marshall took the kick and was going the wrong way but the shot lacked power and rebound into play-off Williamson’s knee.

Leading goalscorers in the Midland league as at April 13:

Martin (Denaby United) 34

Emory (Peterborough) 31

Parkinson (Scarborough) 26

Dixon (Rotherham) 25

Ryder (King’s Lynn) 25