Sheffield Daily Telegraph – Tuesday 03 January 1922
Midland League.
Mexboro’s “Double” Over Denaby.
Mexborough Town 1 Denaby United 0
Continuing in a winning vein, Mexborough yesterday completed the “double” on Denaby United who were the visitors to Hampden Road. There was a record league gate, an attendance of nearly 5,000 being registered. The conditions were not suitable for good football; in fact, the game was of a scrambling nature, and the goal which decided the issue was more or less of a fluke. Saxton, the Mexborough centre half-back, was the scorer with a long shot, which bounced in front of goal and passed into the net with Wright unsighted. This was five minutes from the interval.
The home side played with the wind and the sun in the first half, and had slightly the better of the play. They were frequently very hard pressed after the change-over, but the backs and half-backs kicked strongly, and Cope was not often called upon. Kennedy stood out on the Denaby side, and late in the second half he was making a desperate effort to equalise, and was carrying all before him when he was tripped up just outside the penalty area. Waterfield (Mexhorough) missed the best chance of the match, shooting wide with only the goalkeeper to beat.
Wombwell Beat Wath by Only Goal.
Wombwell 1 Wath Athletic 0
Wombwell had to work extremely hard to get both points out of Wath Athletic on the Hough Lane ground, Wombwell, yesterday, before a splendid “gate” of about 3,000.
A strong wind swept across the ground, and this proved extremely disconcerting to both teams, Wombwell had the choice of ends, and did most of the attacking in the first half. The shooting, however, was of a very poor quality all round, the wind making it almost impossible to keep the ball down.
Wombwell started the second half without their left full-back, Drew. However, they, kept Wath well on the run, and forced the play with great vigour against the wind. After ten minutes Redfearn, the outside-left, beat off two defenders before shooting past Topham. Foxall missed two excellent opportunities of increasing Wombwell’s lead.
Sensational Scoring by Wednesday Res.
Five Goals In 15 Minutes.
Rotherham County Reserves 1 Wednesday Reserves 7
Some remarkable football was witnessed at Millmoor, yesterday, when The Wednesday Reserves beat Rotherham County Reserves in a Midland League match by seven goals to one. The County’s defence was all in a tangle, at the start, and the visitors, taking full advantage of this, put on five goals in the first fifteen minutes. They scored practically every time they attacked, Dallinson, Wheatley, and Worrall offering very feeble resistance to the opposing forwards, who, it should be said, played good and effective football. The score, however, by no means represented the play, for the home team had quite a good share of the exchanges, but it did indicate the difference in the strength of the two defences, for while that of the County was painfully weak, Birch, Prior, and Holmes for the visitors were excellent and reliable.
For Wednesday, Lunn obtained four goals, Hall two, and Taylor (W.) one. Wallace was responsible for the County’s solitary goal. Some confusion arose during the first half, owing to the similarity of the colours of the two teams, and on more than one occasion a player mistook an opponent for one of his own side. Both, teams changed their colours at the interval.
Fifth Successful Victory Over Wakefield.
Barnsley Reserves 7 Wakefield City 1
Barnsley Reserves, at Oakwell, yesterday, secured their fifth successive victory by overplaying Wakefield City, to the extent of seven goals to one. Four thousand spectators saw the home team play thoroughly good football from start to finish. Wollerton, the Wakefield goalkeeper gave a good display, and could not be blamed for the heavy score against his side. Hammerton, early on, opened the scoring for Barnsley, who went further ahead through goals by Spoors and Hine, and led at half-time by four goals to none.
In the second half Barnsley were easily on top. Hine scoring two more (one from a penalty) and Spoors again beating Wollerton. Wakefield’s solitary goal went to the credit of Robinson. In a bright Barnsley display Beaumont played splendid football, and Spoors fed the home forwards most capably, and indulged in strong shooting Curran and Hine, on the home right, were far too good for the opposing defence. Hine was a brainy and thrustful inside forward, with Turner, at outside-left, also smart on the ball. Wakefield were a team of triers, but were outclassed.
Rotherham Town Beat Harrogate.
Rotherham Town 3 Harrogate 0
Although Rotherham Town won their match with Harrogate at Clifton Lane by 3-0, yesterday, on the run of the game they should have shown an even better result. Elliott, their centre-forward, missed a penalty, and at least one other chance went awry. Harrogate were handicapped in the first half by having to face a strong wind and the sun, and they found a rather active forward line in opposition. Goals came from Royston and Moorhouse.
It was believed the visitors would show to better advantage after the change over, but the end was well within sight before they became really dangerous, and the concluding stages wore invested with a good deal of interest. Generally they were well held by the Town defence. Slater and Didlock put in some effective work, and Baines at centre half-back kept his force on the move. Town’s third goal came from Hobson.
Doncaster Rovers’ Fine Rally.
Doncaster Rovers 3 Boston Town 2
Doncaster Rovers beat Boston Town 3-2, after being two goals behind, on the Belle Vue Ground, Doncaster, yesterday, before about 4,000 spectators. A strong breeze blew from the town, and with the wind in their favour the Rovers ought to have fared better in the first half, but they received a check early on when Melson, the visitors’ outside-left, shot from the wing and beat Hendry. Shortly after Hendry got another surprise, when from a breakaway on the right, Davis registered a second goal. It needed this reverse to bestir the Rovers, who then attacked, and Kemp registered their first goal with a fine drive.
The Rovers did even better in the second half with the wind against them. Harrison equalised, and Boardman, the new centre-forward from Leeds United, gave them the lead with a splendid goal after racing down the field. Hendry was hardly as safe as usual. Reed was the best of the home halves, and Boardman, Kemp, and Smailes the pick of the forwards, the wingers being indifferent. The visiting backs played a good game, Melson and Edwards were smart on the wings, and Parrish a good centre-forward.