Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 29 December 1933

Mexboro’ Overhauled

Denaby’s Second Half Spirit

Denaby United 2   Mexborough Athletic 2

With Mexboro’ holding a 1-0 lead at the interval and Denaby seemingly quite unable to make any use of the chances that kept coming their way it looked as though Mexboro’ would break a long spell of failure at expense of their local rivals on Christmas Day. But this was not to be, and during the second half in whirlwind style Denaby gave the two goals which were required to give them the points in most as many minutes.

Mexboro’ played some very good football in the first half, the triangular exchanges between the wings and wing half-backs being notably good. Miller put across many good centres and generally placed the ball well, doing a lot of good work in an unselfish way. He rarely wasted the ball and though not quite as quick as the ball he might have been his pace was deceptive and Matt Taylor never really got the measure of him. He received helpful support from Dotchin who worked very hard. P. S. did Bolan on the other flank. It was Bolan’s enterprise which brought the first goal, for by following up he got the ball after Kirby had failed to gather one of his shots and hooked it square across the goalmouth for Dotchin to score through an open goal. Weakness on the wings prevented Denaby from retaliating effectively and Edgar failed to improve on three centres from the right which were terrible “gifts” and Carter tried to take the ball too far when he was well clear of the Mexboro’ defence and failed to get his shot in.

McLean was the danger point in the Denaby attack and it was his bewildering manoeuvring which enabled Denaby to get on terms immediately after the interval. He put the ball in the goalmouth and Croft had made the mistake of waiting for it instead of coming out with the result that McNALL ran in and headed past him. A couple of minutes later Fitzgerald drew two of the Mexboro’ men and laid the ball wide to Croft to put Denaby ahead. The Mexboro’ defence was at fault in allowing him to get his shot in. Ralph Burkinshaw subsequently tried very hard to rally his side and several times Mexboro’ looked like equalising but there was no further score.

Jack Burkinshaw, who was with Barnsley earlier in the season and led the attack, was unlucky to see a clever side flick land safely in the arms of the fortunately placed Kirby, and Dochin got in the way when Miller could hardly have failed to score had he let the ball go past. Mexboro’ too had narrow escapes, notably when Seth King hit the upright from a free kick.

A satisfactory feature of the game was the “gate” which was easily the best of the season.