Sep 01 – Gainsborough 2, Denaby Utd 2 – Poor Shooting Loses a Point

September 1923

Denaby United at Gainsborough


Poor Shooting Loses a Point



Gainsborough Trinity 2, Denaby United 2



Denaby United opened Gainsborough Trinity´s Midland League programme at the Northolme last night, about 3,000 spectators assembling to witness a fast game. Denaby were without their skipper, Matt Taylor, whose place was taken by Haslam, and Hamilton captained the side.


The earlier stages of the game were in Denaby´s favour, the visitors playing with a strong wind behind them, but they shot badly, especially in the first twenty minutes. At this stage their combination was much better than that of the Trinity, and their pressure was almost constant, so that after Twenty-five minutes they took the lead through SCRIVEN, after Brown, the home back, had muddled a clearance.

This reverse aroused the home team, and from the kick-off Copley went away with a characteristic burst, only to shoot inches over. The wind subsided a little and Trinity began to make headway. After 32 minutes play CLARK, the Gainsborough centre-forward equalised from a pass by Copley. Kennedy was a rare thorn in the side of the Gainsborough attack, and he and Coope checkmated several dangerous movements in front of their goal. Three times near the interval Denaby advanced with determination on their left, but their final shooting was sadly at fault. Froggatt, the home right-half, was in capital form, and frequently spoiled the Denaby insides. The score, 1-1, was a fair reflex of the play at the interval, though Denaby would have led if their shooting had been more accurate and steady.

Both teams struggled hard in the second half, and each goal was frequently menaced. Gainsborough were the more brisk and business-like in their methods, but their marksmanship was as much at fault as their opponents had been, and several good chances were lost on this way. At this stage the Denaby backs acquitted themselves well, and were very steady under pressure.

The half-backs of both teams provided the striking feature of the play and for a time the forwards were kept quiet. After 28 minutes in the second half Lemons collected a pass from the left-wing and fired in a hard shot which Harrison misfielded and COPLEY quickly had the ball in the net.


After a few minutes of midfield play Kennedy sent HAMILTON racing along the wing with a clear field and before the back could tackle him he had equalised with a fine cross-shot.


The players began to get excited and the play was a good deal interrupted at this stage by fouls. Gainsborough pressed hard in the closing stages to force a win in the first home game, but the Denaby defence was cool and resolute, and held out steadily to the end.

Denaby United: Harrison; Cope and Haslam; C. Taylor, Kennedy and Hill; Hamilton, Chambers, Godfrey, Shaw and Scriven.

Gainsborough Trinity: Woolerton; W. Froggatt, and Brown; Curtis, Deaton and W. H. Froggatt; Cole, Copley, Clarke, Lemons, and Presgrave.




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