Mexborough & Swinton Times, January 27
“Nuts” Get a Point
With a Goal in the Last Two Minutes
Grand Game at Denaby
Denaby United 2 Scunthorpe 2
Let me say first of all that this was a rattling good game – one of the best we have had at Denaby in weeks. But chiefly it was a game of surprise packets. In the first place Denaby swarmed round the Scunthorpe goalkeeper for an early lead – and it seemed inevitable that a goal must result. But the reverse happened. Scunthorpe broke away – after Middleton had punched clear. NIGHTINGALE took possession and shooting from long range, drove the ball under the bar and into the net to give Scunthorpe the lead. This after four minutes. But still Denaby pegged away, and it seemed incredible that no goals should result from all this hard work. They were rewarded at length after 26 minutes when Gibbs took a free kick (and shot for goal) and MORALLEE helped the ball into the net with his head.
The Other Way Round
With a goal each the teams went off at half-time. In the second half the scene shifted. This time it was Scunthorpe who did the more dangerous work in attack. It seemed that now they must get a comfortable lead. But again the unexpected happened. Denaby broke away – towards the end of the game – and were awarded a penalty. WRIGHT scored from the “spot”, it was only in the last two minutes after a centre from the right had been kicked this way and that, that Eddie FLEETWOOD got through to bang the ball into the net for a point. Otherwise Scunthorpe might have gone empty away, it was as close as that!
Always Exciting
The game was always exciting. In the first half Scunthorpe always seemed the more purposeful forward line, but on the other hand, Gibbs got in centre after centre, beautifully lobbed from the most difficult angles when it seemed that the ball must be lost, and only first class positioning by the Scunthorpe backs and grand work by the Scunthorpe goalkeeper Middleton saved certain goals.
The “Nuts” goal had two particularly narrow escapes. First Davis centred to give Moralee an almost open goal, but Middleton and Stanniland between them got the ball away. Then Wright shot hard close in, but Middleton put his point blank shot beautifully over the bar for a corner which was cleared. There was a close shave at the other end too.
The “Nuts” swept down for Nightingale to try another shot, but Singleton advanced to block it. Westlake ran across, and the Denaby goalkeeper managed to get his body in the way of the ball as it swept goalwards. Middleton made another smart save just after the re-start when he dived at Moralee´s feet but again Denaby had a narrow escape when Norris cut in to a centre from the left and Singleton advanced but missed the ball. Before Norris could reach it. Westlake cleared. A good game – and few would grouse at the result.