South Yorkshire Times, September 28.
Weakened in Second Half
Arnold Town 3 Denaby United 0
Undeservedly a goal down at half-time after holding the advantage from a few minutes after the start, Denaby looked good enough to weaken the opposition in the second half of their Midland League match with newcomers Arnold Town at Nottingham; all they had to do was play the same kind of football they had played in the first 45 minutes.
But it was Denaby will weaken. Arnold sensed it and never let them off the hook to the end.
On the ripped into Denaby from the start, and before the visitors are settle down. Smith and lofted a shot over the bar and Stasiukiewicz had held an awkward ball, which was deflected off a defender.
But when they did settle down Denaby started to totter the Arnold defence, their first movement taking them the length of the field with top speed passing by Bellamy, Gray and Roebuck.
In the seventh minute, Martin dropped a centre towards Ainscough, court on the volley 20 yards out. Leivers tipped the ball over the top as it started to dip under the bar.
Superb and Sound.
Although the wingers, especially Martin, didn’t get as much of the ball as they should have, the Denaby forwards moved superbly in the first. The defence – Whant in particular – were sound, except for the mistake which gave Arnold the lead in the 41st minute.
Bellamy and Foster was slow in going for an appeal pass which bounced in front of them. Belcher grabbed, Wild slipped trying to stop him, and the centre forward hit it just past Stasiukiewicz´s grasping fingertips.
A few minutes earlier “Stats” had pulled off two superb saves, one from point-blank range as the defence waited, for Smith to be blown off side, the other from a corner catching it in midair and falling onto the line.
United Fell Away.
With the second half came the transformation. Denaby were a shadow of what they had been, and the wonder was that Arnold didn’t score more than they did.
Bell got through just once 61st minute to head in from a cross and 5 min from time. Williams scrambled in the third from what looked like an offside position.
The first half display could have won Denaby the match. If they had kept it up in the second half it certainly would have done.
Teams and Ratings:
Stasiukiewicz 8; Whant 9, Foster8; Ainscough 6, Wild 6, Bellamy 8; Martin 7, Wood 6, Gray 7, Wharham 6, Roebuck 6