Sheffield Daily Telegraph – Wednesday 02 January 1929
Midland League Results
Frickley Continue Their Advance.
Denaby Doing Well.
Matters between home and away clubs in the Midland League yesterday were fairly even. The home clubs obtained eight points against six, and yet the away clubs scored the greater number of goals twelve against ten.
Notts County Reserves, the visitors, beat Wombwell 7—0. The County were a class side, but Wombwell played a plucky game, and to their credit it has to be mentioned that they were much stronger team the last quarter of an hour than in the first.
Wombwell seemed to be completely dazzled by the County’s brilliance. The visitors scored in the first minute through Mitchell, and before half-time further goals were added Smith, Holdsworth, and Janies (two).
Taylor put on another couple in the second half.
Sparkling play by the forwards enabled Frickley Colliery to beat Grimsby Town Reserves 4—0 at South Elmsall yesterday. The score was a reflex of the game, the visitors being outclassed in every department. Charlton and Williams scored in the first half, and Charlton and Pagden in the second, Pagden’s being one of the best seen on the ground this season. Turnbull played a great game at outside-left for the winners, who have made a big advance in the table of late, having secured 13 out of the last 14 possible points.
Staveley Lose a Player.
Poor finishing, together with the loss of Fogg during the last 30 minutes, combined to lose Staveley the points yesterday to Gainsborough. The first half was goalless, with Staveley slightly superior. Pearce, who occupied the outside-left berth, played exceedingly well. After Fogg’s retirement, Staveley were severely handicapped, and Gainsborough went ahead with goals scored Myers, Keating, and Shaw. Lack was outstanding in the Staveley defence.
The best game seen at Denaby for a long time warranted better attendance than that of 2,000, who saw the home team win their fourth successive holiday fixture, beating Mansfield Town, championship aspirants, 3—0. Mansfield ought to have scored first, but Speight splendidly stopped a point-blank shot from Morris. Denaby attacked, and Jenkins passed to Hancock, who square-passed to Kelly, to net easily. Green scored further goal in the first half from a melee after a corner. After the interval Kelly added another goal after threading his way neatly through the Mansfield defence. Rodgers, Denaby’s right-back, had a wonderful match, his soundness now being regular feature. Finney, centre half-back, was clever with his head, and Hancock, youth only playing his second game in Midland League football, did clever things. Staples, Jackson, and Anthony did best in Mansfield’s defence, and McClachlan and Staniforth were the pick of the forwards.
Rotherham United Reserves defeated Worksop 2—1 at Millmoor. Ten minutes after the interval Menlove scored for the visitors, and five minutes later Pears equalised for Rotherham. The game livened up considerably, and about ten minutes before the end Coleman (D.) scored for Rotherham. The full-backs on both sides were good, but the forward play was weak.
Mexborough Athletic and Scunthorpe United failed to score Mexborough. The play did not reach the standard expected, and the 2,000 or so spectators were times irritated by the frequent stoppages. Mexborough, generally speaking, had the balance of play, but the forwards, again led by Davis, spoiled many promising attacks weak finishing. For Mexborough, Hawkens and Ward shone under pressure, Ward’s goalkeeping being brilliant when Scunthorpe, towards the close, revived in a strong attempt to snatch victory. Vollans, the Mexborough centre half-back, was good, and for Scunthorpe, Hall, Watson, and Allen (former Mexborough centre forward) were the pick.
Wath Athletic’s pressing need for capable goal-scorer was emphasised yesterday against York City, with whom they could only draw 1—1, after having the better of the play. York, who were a good deal more accurate in their methods, scored first from breakaway, Cowie snapping a chance when a clearance by Wheatley ricocheted off Bedford.
Wath did better in the second half, but could only score once through Murdin. Wath’s defenders, whom Dennis was the pick, were generally safe, but there was always danger in York’s open methods approach.