Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 07 April 1933

Midland League

Grantham’s Grit

Ten Men Save A Point

Mexborough 1, Grantham 1

After taking the lead in great style in the first three minutes of their home game with Grantham yesterday, Mexboro’ had to be content with a 1-1 draw.

There were two factors that made Grantham worth their point. The first was that they played throughout the second half without their right half-back, Shepherd, who sustained a cut on the head just before the interval and the second that Dudley shot past from the penalty spot when Grantham had levelled the scores in the second half.

In view of these circumstances Mexboro’ could hardly cavill at the result though they were on the whole the better side and Reeves had far more to do than Wilkinson and was more often in difficulties. Though the Mexboro’ forwards, particularly Clarke, Smith and McMahon were in lively mood and caused the Grantham defence endless trouble, their attacks broke up time after time against the shrewd obstructive tactics of Barrett and the determined tackling and kicking of Codlin.

It was Barrett and Reeves who did more than any other of the players to keep the Grantham goal intact after they had been taken off their guard to the first few minutes of the game. Clarke and Smith made a splendid wing, their youth and lack of inches hardly seeming to handicap them at all, but after their cleverest scheming they inevitably found themselves checkmated by a master tactician in Barrett. Though their inside forwards moved nicely, the remainder of the Grantham players showed no more than ordinary skill, and with Aldeman playing a stout defensive game and receiving fine support from the cool Walker and the tenacious Haigh the Mexboro’ goal had few moments of real danger to survive. Shepherd showed more constructive ability than during his earlier appearances with the team this season but tired towards the end, as did Parry, a promising left-half from the second team. Jackson, who was tried at centre-forward, received indifferent support from his colleagues early in the game with the result that he seemed to lose confidence and did little afterwards.

A splendid centre from Clarke to SMITH three minutes from the start was smartly converted by the inside-right, whose clever cross-shot eluded Reeves. Some good saves by the Grantham goalkeeper, and one or two misses due to the lively ball prevented Mexboro’ from establishing a more decisive lead before the interval.

Grantham started the second half with great determination and though they had only four forwards DUDLEY put them on terms five minutes after the restart, Wilkinson going down much too late for an apparently simple shot. The penalty awarded Grantham when Haigh brought down Dudley was rather a doubtful affair. It was touch and go whether Dudley was fouled in the area, although he fell well over the line. However, the centre-forward’s shot was a foot or so outside the post. A grand shot by Haigh which struck the underside of the crossbar and bounced clear deserved to restore Mexboro’s lead, and a minute later a fine long shot by Alderman was turned over the bar with a great effort by Reeves.

Play deteriorated towards the end though there were occasional bright periods with Mexboro’ doing most of the attacking.