Sheffield Daily Telegraph, Monday. February 27, 1922.
Midland League.
Remarkable Rise of Scunthorpe.
Dramatic Finish at Boston.
Mexborough played such good and virile football against, Rotherham County Reserves, at Millimoor, that they must he deemed very unfortunate to have been deprived of both points. The visitors had much the better of the play throughout the game, and especially towards the close. Their forwards, against a less capable defence than that of Sutcliffe, Millership, and Wheatley must have been successful. Ingham and Reed were clever inside forwards for Mexborough. The only goal of the match came soon after the interval, when, from a free-kick taken by Lounds, Wallace headed past Cope. The County introduced their most recent capture, Bell, formerly of Notts Forest and South Shields, a very speedy forward and Powderhall Handicap competitor, but he and Lounds, whom he partnered, got few chances owing very largely to the weakness of the home half-backs. Hill, Saxton, and Taylor (C.) were energetic and enterprising half-backs for the visitors.
Low Scoring Matches.
The contest between Lincoln City Reserves and Wombwell United on the Sincil Bank, drawn 1 – 1 was for the most part uninteresting. Groves scored for Lincoln, following a corner, when the game was 12 minutes old, and Bolsover obtained the equaliser five minutes from the interval. The defence was superior to the attack on both sides. The Wombwell forwards were quicker on the ball than the home quintette, but they were poor finishers, and the visitors’ goal had more narrow escapes than Lincoln’s.
Denaby United, without a victory to their credit since they beat Mansfield a month ago. were unluokv to have a point snatched from their grasp on Saturday within the last few minutes. Right through the game they had more of the play than Notts Forest Reserves, and frequently came within an ace of increasing the lead they ‘gained through Hamilton in the first few minutes. Denaby’s forwards were in an aggressive mood, and kept Bennett, Thompson, and Farrow very busy. Green, who equalised, had been unlucky with a great shot that topped the bar.
The Wednesday Reserves had no difficulty whatever in disposing of Wakefield City, on the latter s first visit to Sheffield. In the first ten minutes of the game Shelton and Cadman scored for the Sheffield team, and after the interval Hall (2) and Taylor (Wm.) brought the total up to five, Gregory shooting Wakefield’s only point with a flying kick, alter Bellas had juggled with the ball instead of getting it away. Hall, at centre-forward for The Wednesday Reserves, missed many opportunities, but as it was his first appearance after a serious illness, there was some excuse for him. Cadman, the Sheffield lad on trial at inside-right, was thrustful and enterprising, and is worth persevering with. Woolerton, in goal for Wakefield, made the best save of the day when he kept out a free kick by Froggatt in the last minute. He fell heavily, and had to go off, but happily he had only slightly sprained his right shoulder.
The Rotherham Town—Gainsborough Trinity game ended in a 2–2 draw, which, on the run of the play, was a true reflex. With the wind in their favour in the first half, Rotherham had the best of the exchanges and scored twice through Taylor and Moorhouse, whilst in the second half the visitors were equally successful, Buttery and Talbot being the scorers. On the whole, the game was only of a moderate character.
Barnsley Res. lost 1 – 0 at Boston. The goal, a dramatic one, was scored by Davis from a penalty a minute before the final whistle blew, much to the delight of one of the best “gates” of the season. Play was very even throughout.. Barnsley’s defence was consistently sound, Sewell, at centre-half, in particular being conspicuous. For Boston Parish did well at inside-left, and Brocksom, who made his initial appearance at outside-right, should prove a good asset to his side.
A Battle – Royal.
The Castleford Town—Worksop Town encounter was fought out at a terrific pace from start to finish, Worksop being beaten 1-0. After half an hour’s play a penalty to the home team was missed by Tillotson, but almost immediately the home centre-forward, Roe, got the ball into the net. Worksop were emphatic in their objection against the goal on the ground that Roe handled the hall, but the referee, after consulting the linesman, decided against them. Play became keen after this, and Robinson caused his side to be penalised on two occasions in dangerous positions. Whelpton and Brown had to deal with great drives from the respective forwards, one from Hoggard, in particular, being well saved by the visitor’s goalkeeper. Bartlett overshadowed Huxford and Booth did not give Charlesworth much liberty.
Notts County Reserves drew with Hull City Reserves, 0-0, at Hull. It was an uninteresting game. In the early stages the Notts team made a promising show when they pulled down a thrilling effort by Wood, one of the home forwards, but the visitors’ efforts to break away and do something really tangible were of little avail in the face of the strong opposition of Gowland and Lodge. Platts and Cashmere, however, worried the City on many occasions, but could not get within shooting distance. The combined efforts of the visiting forwards were consistently broken up by the Hull banks The County, too, were strong in their defensive positions, and despite great rally towards the end the City could not gain the ascendancy.
Mansfield Town beat Grimsby Town Reserve at Mansfield on Saturday. The visitors should at least have divided the spoils, for in the second half they were much the better side, but Groves, the home custodian, was in great form. The only goal came early in the game from Foster. A. Smith, on the visitors’ left, played well, as did Hallam and MacEachren, and for the winners Sheldon, Clarke, and the half-back line were the pick.