South Yorkshire Times, April 4th, 1970
A Nail-Biting Feast
Denaby United 4, Main St. W.M.C. 4
A muddy surface and a mere handful of supporters provided the setting for Saturday evening’s …and the ‘stop at home’ missed a soccer treat, a feast of eight goals and non-stop attacking football.
Now Denaby United and Main Street W.M.C. will have to fight it out again after a draw which had a goal in each of the first and last five minutes.
The first goal came when Jim Spencer failed to clear a high cross and Steve Middleton was there to head his side into a two-minute lead. This goal was representative of the play so far and United kept their lead and their composure for ten minutes. But, as complacency began to creep into their play and fight oozed from Main Street’s ranks, the picture began to change and with two goals in the 15th and 18th minute they were in the lead.
Fine Drive
Main Streets’ first was a fine 20-yard drive from David Godfrey, which cannoned into the net after hitting the post. If this effort pleased Main Street’s supporters, then the second had them in raptures. Tom Gray, a strong and forceful winger, made a determined run down the right and from his cross John McCabe completely baffled Whitehead with a brilliant header.
Now Main Street pinned Denaby back and it was not surprising when in the 28th minute Mat Robinson smashed a 25-yard goal which again Whitehead knew very little about.
Denaby tried desperately hard to get back into the game but much of Peter Pettit’s tireless midfield work was wasted by some poor finishing and when Denaby did get through they found Main Street ‘keeper Trev. Gamble in the sort of form that matched the occasion.
Yielded
Immediately before half time Main Street began to show signs of yielding to the Denaby pressure which, after the break saw Peter Pettit sliding home a deceiving 25 yard shot to reward his non-stop efforts.
So, the attacking initiative swung to United once more, and when Peter Kitchen turned home a loose ball for the equaliser, it seemed to present for them a chance to forge ahead, but Denaby were shaken by the dogged persistence of their opponents who refused to give up. In fact, at this point it was Main Street who looked the likely winners and despite a sterling second half performance by Ken Whitehead, Derek Law restored the lead for them. As the Hampden Road light failed, so did United’s chances, and their plight, with only a couple of minutes remaining, seemed nothing short of desperate. But out of the darkness jumped Peter Kitchen to save them, so Denaby lived to fight again.
Teams
Denaby United: Whitehead, Davies C., Sapey, Greenwood, Gray, Pettit, Gough, Middleton, Bowden, Kitchen, Reynolds. Sub: Collins.
Main St. W.M.C: Gamble, D. Law, T. Law, Briggs, Spencer, Jones, Gray, Robinson McCabe, Godfrey, Fennel. Sub: Cotton.
Referee: Harry Lawrence, Conisbrough.