Mar 7 – Long Eaton 0 Denaby 0 – United Tactics Puzzled them.

March 1964

South Yorkshire Times, March 7.

United Tactics Puzzled them.

Long Eaton Utd 0 Denaby Utd 0

The big talking point at Grange Park, Long Eaton, on Saturday was the “thin Red Line”, a curious defensive tactic which Denaby United maintained throughout the game in the Midland League game with Long Eaton United.

The two fullbacks and three halfbacks spaced themselves out in a horizontal line stretching across the pitch. This formation was used as a holding line to cut off any  Long Eaton attacks before they reached the penalty area, or anywhere within reach of goal, and as an effective offside trap.

On several occasions the line moved up in unison to put an unwary Long Eaton forward offside.

This tactic did achieve its object of disconcerting. The Long Eaton, forwards, will never solve the problem of how to get past the line without running offside. It did however, weakenDenaby’s attack, as the halfbacks were kept tied to the line instead of being able to move up and down the field at will to help their forwards.

Denaby, in fact, never came close to scoring, but Long Eaton came close to a goal on three occasions.

Hough Plays Well.

In general, Hough played a masterly game. Several times he appeared to rise above a ruck of players to punch clear or catch a dangerous looking lob centre.

Team: Hough; Whant, Foster; Wild, Ainscough, Grierson; Wood Cox, Coleman, Jones, Harvey