South Yorkshire Times, October 6th, 1951
Denaby Utd Were a Disappointment To The Bracken Moor Spectators
Midland Leaguers Lucky To Draw Was the F.A. Cup-Tie Verdict
Lucky Denaby! There could be no other verdict on the F.A. cup-tie between Stocksbridge Works and Denaby United at Bracken Moor on Saturday, writes S. L. Wood, because for two thirds of the game their efforts were solely concentrated on keeping their goal intact.
That it only fell once with the result 1-1 was largely due to the fact that Alf Lee was in magnificent form and that Captain Jack Williams also covered himself with glory. Lee was unmistakably the man of match so far as Denaby were concerned. Against Heseltine, a man of his own height and weight, he was top dog almost throughout the game, yet such was his role that he was also often found covering up for his wing-halves. What a grand man to have in any side! A prodigious and accomplished worker, he is a fine inspiration to any side – but not to Denaby on Saturday. They were listless, and to the Stocksbridge people who were expecting to see something better from a Midland League side, there would be disappointment. Strangers certainly would have taken Stocksbridge to be the Midland Leaguers.
The Signal
It was poor stuff from both sides for half an hour and it took a costly slip to awaken Stocksbridge. This was the gift of a goal to Denaby by the usually safe George Rymer. It was very doubtful whether there had been a shot to mean anything from Denaby when Wheatley, from his wing, sent over a high dropping shot. Ninety-nine times out of a hundred Rymer would have taken such a harmless punt in his stride, but he made a slip with this.
Riding on the crest of this goal wave, Works peppered the United with added vigour and there was a thunderous outburst when Heseltine beat Mayall all ends up with a swift shot from close range. The jubilation died very nearly as quickly as it started because Referee Robinson (Sheffield) noticed a linesman down on one knee with flag raised. Heseltine off side.
Cooling was Denaby’s cleverest forward, although young Wood strove hard to bring life to a dull line.
A report of the re-play yesterday (Thursday) appears elsewhere in this issue.
CUP-TIE DATE
Saturday’s ”gate” at Bracken Moor was 1,975 and takings £93 8s 3d from which a slight deduction has to be made for tax for the stand.