South Yorkshire Times, May 3rd, 1969
Denaby United 3, Thackley 1.
Thackley came to Tickhill Square for this Yorkshire League game on Sunday to face a Denaby united Team Cock-a-hoop from great victories over Thorne and Wombwell the previous week, and found the home side in the same mood for aggression.
The visitors fielded nine men for the first ten minutes of this game, half-backs Hanscombe and Mac-Grath arriving late, but held their own by relying on a solid, compact defence to see the Period thorough.
Conditions were perfect for football, and it was Denaby that supplied it for much of the match, With John Royston inspiring the attack and Howard Morley constantly niggling the Thackley defence.
Thackley, in fact, looked dangerous early on. Cole and Gillard prompted the forwards, and some intelligent running could well have produced the goods had not Whitehead, Parker and Caunt been in fine form.
A 20 yard drive from Killick crashed against the angle of bar and post. And Jimmy Wiggles headed off the line the next minute as Denaby withstood a short spell of pressure in which the Visitors threatened to score.
First Goal
But it was Denaby who finally took the lead when Trevor Whittaker did well to win the ball and screwed back a centre from the by-line for Royston to head home. Minutes later Morley Pulled the ball back from the same position, and Thackley full-back Waddington, under pressure from Parker, turned the ball past his own goalkeeper.
Two goals may not have separated the teams on the play at this stage, and indeed, Thackley soon pulled one back when Kelly whipped in the loose ball after Pitman had parried the first shot. In the second half Denaby took command of the game. Royston and Whittaker won the midfield and speedy, open football confined Thackley to rare breaks. Thackley looked a little tired and jaded by the end. They must have been made to cover every blade of grass on the field during this match.
The final goal was fitting reward for Howard Morley, who was a constant threat to the visitors defence and never stopped working. Inevitably, it came from a header.