Sheffield Daily Telegraph – Monday 02 December 1929

Midland League.

Barnsley Get Nearer to the Leaders.

The Midland League programme was cut down to seven matches on Saturday. Four home and three visiting clubs were successful.

Barnsley got to within one point of the leaders, Scarborough, for they continued their successful run by beating Hull City Reserves 3 – 0 at Oakwell. Mears (two) and Harvey scored. Barnsley dominated the game, a well balanced “attack maintaining strong pressure, and although Maddison, a the visitors’ goal, showed resourcefulness, his charge had many narrow escapes. Gibbs struck the bar and Harvey failed to make use of a penalty kick.

Harvey and Hears were prominent in Barnsley’s smooth-working attack and Harron centred well. Horris and Richards held up Hull City’s attack, in which only McDonald offered danger.

Bradford Reserves, at home, easily accounted for Wombwell, scoring five goals without reply. Hogg (two), Rhodes (two), and Elwood netted. The visitors, unable to overcome the atrocious ground conditions, were rarely seen in attack. They were well served in defence by Hepworth, Wheatley, and Best, the last-named being very sound-in addition to saving a penalty he brought oil several excellent clearances.

Denaby United accomplished a smart performance when they literally snatched their game at Nottingham with the Forest Reserves out of the fire. Norman Thompson scored for the Forest in 12 minutes, and the home side remained front until close time, when L. Green ran through while the home side were appealing for offside and popped the ball into the net, A. Green completing the discomfiture of the home men with another successful shot. The experience ought to teach them to play strictly to the whistle in future.

Frickley Lucky to Win.

Frickley were fortunate take both points from Worksop Town at Central Avenue. Carlton, an enterprising leader of attack, was credited with both Frickley’s goals—one m each half—and Goddard, the former Mansfield outside-right who was secured from Sheffield Wednesday the previous day, celebrated his debut by scoring the only goal for Worksop.

A feature of the game was the play of Charles Binney, the former Wednesday and Worksop forward, who appeared at right halfback for the visitors. Chipperfield was superb defender, and Hackett a fearless goalkeeper.

Wath Athletic gave Shirebrook a hard game, and were unlucky to lose by a goal headed by Meads, for territorially they had most of the game. The verdict might easily have gone the other way. The goalkeepers, Nettleton (Wath) and Whittaker (Shirebrook). played brilliantly, and were responsible for the low score. One of the outstanding men was Wath’s right back, W. Moore, who played splendidly. Meads was Shirebrook’s most effective forward.

In a hard-fought game at Loughborough, the Corinthians deserved to beat Grantham 5—3. Grantham were always triers, but they were too disjointed to be effective. Robertson, in goal, played a magnificent game, and Watson, at outside-right, was the best of the forwards. The scorers were White (two), Hoyland (two), and Riley for Loughborough, and Downham and Evans (two) for Grantham.

There was an exciting game at Boston, the home team beating Notts County Reserves by the odd goal of seven. Halliday, Craven (two), and Levick scored for the home team, and Matthews and Keetley (two) for the County.