South Yorkshire Times, May 2
Grierson Goal put life into Denaby.
Denaby United 1. Gainsborough 2
Denaby tried the 4 2 4 system in their game at Tickhill Square against Gainsborough on Saturday. It stemmed the goals against, but the extra man dropping back in defence all the time weakened an already weak forward line, which led to some negative football by Denaby.
Neither side had territorial advantage, but Gainsborough, quicker on the ball and more direct, made better use of the ball, and on several occasions went very close to scoring.
Grierson, placed right half, was Denaby’s best” forward.”, He hit the post with one tremendous drive, as did Clifton, but the Denaby forwards rarely looked like giving the home side their second successive victory.
Denaby left back, Foster, had a good first half against Gainsborough’s clever right-winger Waite. Clifton, Denaby’s left half and Wright, Denaby’s winger, who drop back in defence, try to prompt the forwards in action, but never got them going.
Gainsborough were soon one up when left half Sanderson scored after 10 minutes. He collected the ball on the halfway line, and slipped it past Hough from close range.
Wright was put through by Wood, and all the winger had to do was to pass the goalkeeper, but he made a weak shot, and Burden, in the Gainsborough goal had no difficulty in saving.
Escape.
Just before half-time the Denaby goal had a narrow escape, Pearce, Gainsborough’s write-off hit the bar, the ball came out to Howley, who shot was cleared off the line by Foster and Whant, but finally Hough made gallant save from a Gainsborough forward and cleared the ball.
The second half began where it left off, with play in the Denaby half this. Wait, and Pearce and shots blocked, but after 53 min, King managed to increase Gainsborough lead with a scrambled goal.
This goal looked like the end of Denaby, but a goal by Grierson 3 minutes later brought life back into the home side. Grierson shot from 25 yards out and with Burden unsighted, the goalkeeper had no hope of saving.
United centre forward, Coleman missed the best possible chance of equalising for Denaby. Put through on his own, the centre forward and only Burden to beat, but shot straight at him.
Centre half Ainscough, was taken off 2 min before the final whistle, after a tussle with a Gainsborough forward.
Team: Hough (6); Whant (6), Foster (6); Grierson (7), Ainscough (6), Clifton (6); Wright (6), Wood (5), Coleman (6), Cox (5), Roebuck (5)