Sheffield Daily Telegraph – Monday 20 March 1922

Midland League.

Scunthorpe Still Dogging the Heels of Worksop.

After a hard and strenuous game. The Wednesday Res, and Mansfield Town drew 1 – 1 in their Midland League fixture at Hillsborough. The home club gave trials to H. Salt, a centre forward from Hallam, and T. H. Mawson, a goalkeeper and a product of Army football. Both played well. Although they could only make a draw. The Wednesday Res. were unfortunate not to win, for both Salt and Armitage had the visiting goalkeeper beaten with shots which struck the crossbar. Staniforth and Gibson wasted chances for Mansfield by shooting wildly. Staniforth scored for Mansfield after five minutes’ Flay, and Belles equalised, following a penalty- kick, after about 25 minutes’ play.

Worksop Town strengthened their position at the head of the Midland League table by a clever victory at the expense of Denaby United, whom they defeated by 2 – 0 at Worksop. After Richardson had converted a penalty, and Lilley had increased the lead, Denaby were deprived of the services of Coope, their right back, who was sent off for fouling Lilley. The last-named incident occurred before the interval. Afterwards neither side could score, but, naturally, Worksop were constantly attacking, as the visitors only had four forwards.

All that occurred in the match between Scunthorpe United and Wombwell which is worth recording took place in the first and in the last ten minutes, when the goals were scored. In between, smart midfield football, chiefly individualistic, was badly finished off. Scunthorpe won by 4 – 0. The first goal was scored after about four minutes’ play from a penalty kick taken by Ackroyd, and the second was shot by Meredith after clever play by Lloyd. Ten minutes from the end Wombwell lost Bolsover with a damaged leg, and Meredith, taking advantage of a defender’s miskick, registered a third goal, Lloyd immediately going through to get the fourth.

“Mariners” Win Easily.

Grimsby Town Reserves played a good game against Gainsborough Trinity, and well deserved their victory of 3 – 0. After the opening stages, the visitors figured very little in the picture, although, at times, there was a grim struggle between the home attack and the visitors’ defence. By the interval Grimsby had two goals up, the first being from Morrall and the second from Talks. In the second half. Talks scored again. In this half the visitors were kept on the defensive. Adams, the Grimsby centre-half, on trial, played splendidly. Morrall also worked hard, and Collier was ever a trier.

Wath Athletic played better football than Lincoln City Reserves on the Sincil Bank and won by 2 – 1. The City, however, made such desperate efforts in the last few minutes that they were within an ace of gaining a share of the spoils. They scored three minutes from time, and in the brief space left the visitors’ goal underwent very narrow escapes. Most people were well pleased with the performance of Kendall the City’s new goalkeeper. Wath’s goals were scored by Prior and Wroe respectively, and Lincoln’s contribution was made by Lishman.

Rotherham County Reserves were rather badly beaten by Doncaster Rovers at Millmoor. Play in the first half was much more equal than in the second, when the home side could only make poor reply to the more methodical doings of their opponents. In the first fifteen minutes, Boardman scored for the Rovers from a centre by Wainwright and the County equalised through Ollerenshaw, an Ecclesfield recruit, who had been conspicuous for real effort. The team, however, did not combine as well as Doncaster, for whom Butler and Boardman (2) scored further goals. The last goal was the outcome of a penalty.

Rotherham Town Still Smiling?

Rotherham Town had Boston as visitors, and the Clifton Lane side won comfortably by 3 – 1. The game was only of a moderate character, though much credit is due to the Town players for their success under difficulties. Munday, a new recruit, did well at right-back. All the halves played splendidly, whilst Grierson was perhaps the most noticeable forward. Boston, on the whole, were very weak. The goal scorers were Harrison (own goal), Grierson and Moorhouse for Rotherham, and Manning for Boston. Prominent for Boston were Harrison and Taylor, both of whom had previously played regularly with Rotherham Town during the present season.

A goalless draw at Mexborough, where the visitors were Castleford Town, hardly represented the play. Cope, in Mexborough’s goal, had to run out on one occasion in order to baulk Robins and Grace, but he had little else to do, throughout the whole game. The visitors certainly missed an open goal in the first half, and sent the ball against the woodwork once after the interval. But the fact that they were forced to concede no fewer than sixteen corners will serve to suggest that only a stout defence fully extended saved Castleford from being overwhelmed.

Wakefield City fully deserved to draw 2 – 2 with Barnsley Reserves at Wakefield. The score represented the run of the play, although Wakefield missed scoring from a penalty. Middlehurst netted with his first kick, but he had to make a second attempt owing to an infringement, and Wolfe saved. Hammerton headed Barnsley’s first goal early in the game, hut Heaton equalised before the interval. Kay put Barnsley ahead early after resumption, but Wakefield again drew level by the aid of a fine ground shot from Rowbottom.

At Hull, Hull City Reserves drew 2 –2 with Harrogate. Harrogate were early on the offensive, and J. H. Smith scored. It was only after this incentive that the Hull team began to show their real form, and Woods equalised as the ball rebounded into play from a shot by Sergant. Shortly after arcs Davies scored from a penalty for Hull. In the second half the home side found Harrogate a tough side and Gale equalised for the visitors with a penalty, In a dour struggle there was little to choose between the teams.