Denaby Utd – Whirlwind Exit from F.A. Cup For Denaby

November 1959

South Yorkshire Times November 7, 1959

Whirlwind Exit from F.A. Cup For Denaby

“Oh I wish I was a little bit younger . . . ” That thought must have been in the minds of several Denaby players on Saturday, when they were hurled out of the F.A. Cup (final qualifying round) by the “Babes” of Shildon.

The experience and skill of the visiting side proved no match for the lightning swiftness and tenacity of the Northerners (average age 23). Denaby were lucky to escape with their 6-1 defeat.

Hail Don Oslear ! Leaping, sprawling, diving and clutching with the skill of a professional acrobat, the plucky keeper accomplished at least eight brilliant saves.

He would have needed arms eight feet wide to save five of the Shildon thunderbolts, all of which crashed into the top corner of the net. This was undoubtedly Don’s best performance of the season.

Pat on the back for Howard Johnson, star of an ever struggling Denaby defence. He matched trick with trick, feint with feint, to avert a series of dangerous situations.

Apart from this, there was little to enthuse about. At least from the Denaby point of view ! Their attack rarely had the better of the visitors’ half-backs.

Only Two Real Shots

During the first 45 minutes. Denaby had only two real shots at goal, efforts by Shaw and Guest coming near. Shildon took the lead in the 35th minute when Hopper punched in a snorting. 20 yard drive.

The second half saw what had promised to be a hard-fought battle turn into a travesty of a game. Compared to Shildon the Denaby attack had about as much bite and speed as a tortoise.

Even though the home side began to pile-up their lead, never once did 1 they slacken their efforts. Curran made it two-up within 50 seconds of the resumption, before the Denaby defence had time to gather their wit’s.

Their excellent use of the long halt was one of the main factors in Shildon’s startlIng victory. Four kicks—and their forwards were slashing through the Denaby defence . United tended to over-elaborate. Their defence spent too much time in dribbling, when they should have been clearing the ball.

Guest The Schemer

As usual ex-Rotherham United inside right Gladstone Guest was the chief schemer of the Denaby attack. He did well to initiate three promising moves in the second half, out his efforts were wasted by his colleagues.

One Shildon official gave me this reason for their victory. “I believe that we won because our ground is larger than Denaby’s. It enabled our forwards to use their speed to an even greater advantage It we had played at Tickhill Square the result might have been different.”

Shildon scorers were. Curran (2), Hopper. Douglas. Bell and Ayre. Slater scored from the spot for Denaby.

Teams:-

Shildon: Peacock; Swan, Nelthorpe; Ayre, Brown, Brown; McClay, Hopper, Curran, Bell, Douglas.

Denaby: Oslear; J. Williams, Heaton; D. Williams, Johnson, Lees: France, Guest, Shaw, Slater, Jenkins.