Sheffield Daily Telegraph – Monday 23 March 1931
Huge Turning of Tables by Wombwell.
Home clubs got 17 of the 20 points at stake, and scored 29 goals to seven, in the Midland League programme on Saturday.
Bradford City Res., who are putting up such bold challenge to Grimsby Town Res. for the championship, were the only visiting club to be successful, and Grantham got a point from Scunthorpe.
Wombwell pulled themselves round to inflict a signal 4 – 0 defeat on Lincoln City Res. At Wombwell. The previous week they had been beaten 13—2 at Lincoln. The transformation was remarkable, and there was no fluke about the win, Wombwell being the stronger and quicker side throughout. The big feature of the game was the splendid work of Bates, the new young centre-forward, from Wath St. James. He scored couple of goals, and put a new swing into the attack, standing out for his dash and opportunism. Davies and Briggs also scored.
Denaby United beat Doncaster Rovers Res. 3—1 in a fast and interesting game at Denaby. There were even exchanges until Fisher went off injured, and then Lievesley gave Doncaster the lead. Gilchrist equalised before the interval. In the second half Denaby took the honours, even though Fisher was almost passenger and Williams was off for 20 minutes, getting his mouth patched up. Sheldon scored twice. Denaby were good all round. Smith and Shaw blended well back. Beresford, Lievesley, and Wadsworth were alert forwards for Doncaster.
Rotherham United Res. beat Mexborough by two goals to one at Millmoor, before a good attendance. The game was fast, and towards the close Mexborough rallied, but found the Rotherham defenders too good for them. The shooting of the visitors’ forwards was faulty. Rotherham were well led Johnson, who scored twice. Smith replied for the visitors, who were handicapped by losing Guest, with a twisted knee, after ten minutes of the second half.
Bradford City Res. Beat Newark Town 2—0, both goals being scored in the first half by Bainbridge.
.A goal scored after 17 minutes, and which was altogether against the run of play, made all the difference to the match between Grimsby Res. and Mansfield Town, in which the latter were beaten by five to nothing. Glover was the scorer of the goal, which seemed to put new life into Grimsby. Other points were added by Betmead, Coglin (penalty), Glover, and Fielding. Grimsby were greatly flattered by the result.
Frickley’s New Men Do Well.
Frickley Colliery introduced four new players into their team which beat Hull City Reserves 2 -0 at South Elmsall on Saturday. The experiment was a pronounced success, the side playing well and being on top throughout. The Colliery backs. Haigh and Drury, gave so sound display in their debut that Capstick, the new goalkeeper, had comparatively little to do. Whiteley was the “star” forward; he scored both goals. Taylor was brilliant on the Hull extreme left.
Chesterfield Reserves, who defeated Boston 2—o at Saltergate, had an untiring centre-half in Machent, and had the inside-forwards accepted the openings they must have piled up a big score. Topper and Baldwin scored.
Gainsborough Trinity gave one of their best performances of the season against Barnsley Reserves, and though they were without Robinson, their centre-forward for most of the game, won comfortable by three goals—scored by Brown, Kell (from penalty), and Dodsworth to none. The frame was fought at a hard pace throughout, and for Gainsborough, Harris, their young left back, gave a very fine performance. On the Barnsley side, Storer and Gibbs, the wingers, were always good.
A Series of Injuries.
Shirebrook came severe cropper against the Forest Reserves at Nottingham, and lost by six goals to one, after Bowler had opened the scoring for in five minutes. Berrick, their centre-forward, sustained a painful face injury quite early, however, and at half-time he was found to have fractured his cheek bone, and was dispatched to hospital. Howie, Brown, and Howie placed Forest in front before the interval, and McKay, Scott, and Brown scored in the second half.
Grantham twice took the lead at Scunthorpe, but failed to stay, and so well the home side played in the last half-hour that Grantham were a trifle fortunate to share the points. Sullivan scored twice for Grantham, and Rawlings acid Oakton for Scunthorpe. Green and Oakton were Scunthorpe’s best wing, and played great game for them at left back.