Sheffield Daily Telegraph – Monday 24 December 1928
Midland League.
Leaders Figure in a Glut of Goals.
Many Smart Feats.
Lincoln City Reserves are well established at the head of the Midland League. Their eight goals against Worksop Town, who replied with four, was their biggest total in match this season. Worksop, 15 minutes from the end, were seven goals in arrears. They then, however, made a plucky and determined rally, and beat Kendall on three occasions. Lincoln were better in attack than in defence. Kitching performed the “hat trick,” and other goals for Lincoln were contributed by Hargreave, Maidment (2), Gorringe, and Fisher. For the visitors, Allison (2), Foster, and Downee netted, though in regard to Allison’s second goal, the ball in its transit glanced off Clipson, the Lincoln leftback.
York City accomplished good performance by beating Mexborough Athletic on the latter’s ground by 2-1. Lacey (2) for the visitors and Shaw for the hone team were the scorers. From start finish, York City played much the better football, their half-backs being resourceful, their forwards fast and clever, and defence, generally speaking, easily masters of the unusually disappointing Mexborough attack. Lacey and Charneley, centre-forward and centre-half, were especially prominent for York City, and for Mexborough, Ward, Hawkins, and Davis put up a stout defence.
A Smart Goal
The return encounter between Denaby United and Grimsby Town Reserves, who won 5-2 Tickhiil Square, had its dominant factors the splendid displays of Speight, Denaby’s reserve goalkeeper, who was given a trial and came through splendidly, Poskett, in Grimsby’s goal, and Swaby, the visitors’ centre half Wilson, Hare, Wright (2), and Munnings scored for Grimsby before Turner and Kelly netted for Denaby. The manner of Turner’s goal was peculiar. He took penalty for foul on Kelly. Poskett saved at the expense of a comer. Turner took this; Poskett again cleared, but Turner met the ball to find the net.
Rotherham United Res. had a fairly difficult task to defeat Shirebrook by 2-1 at Millmoor on Saturday. The first half produced no goals, but soon after the interval Pears opened the scoring for the home team, and Hague added another. Kennedy scored for the visitors from a penalty. Rotherham were without Gallyer in the second half, and Pears, who played at centre-forward, was very forceful. Mercer was bright during the second half.
In a fine match at Loughborough, Frickley deservedly won 1-0 to record their third successive win. A surprise shot by Lax won the game for Frickley. The Frickley defence was very sound, and the backs, Hamilton and Prier, played in grand form.
Doncaster Rovers Reserves fully deserved to win at Staveley, but not by so big a margin as 4—1. They were a clever and side, though somewhat over-played in the first half, when Staveley were most unfortunate with their shooting. Meads scored Staveley’s only goal with splendid turn of his head. Bott was the outstanding figure in the Doncaster front line, and registered three goals, Binns getting the other.
Ex-Barnsley Winger’s Fine Debut.
Scarborough’s new outside-left, George Gibbs, from Barnsley, made a very auspicious debut for his new club Saturday, when Scarborough beat Wombwell 6 – 0. Gibbs showed fine turn of speed and excellent footwork. He scored couple of goals, one the result of a fine individual effort, and Clayson, who scored other four, had to thank fine centre; from the outside left for two of his goals. The whole forward line, which included Ridsdale, the new outside right from Middlesbrough, has never worked better.
Wath’s Sequence Broken.
For the past, three seasons Wath, both at home and away, have accounted for Grantham, but the sequence was broken Saturday, for the Lincolnshire, team, who are in capital form this season, rathor comfortably took the points by 4 – 2. It was not an inspiring however, for the Grantham forwards by no means on the top of their form. The scorers were Keeton, Sullivan (2), and Spaven for Grantham, and Moore for Wath. Spaven failed with a penalty, which Whittaker cleared.
The Scunthorpe United—Barnsley Reserves match was played at Scunthorpe under wretched weather conditions, and before not more than a thousand spectators. Tom Fall, the ex-Rotherham United centre-forward, made his debut as leader of the Scunthorpe attack, but he had no luck, and was well watched by Swift, the Barnsley centre-half. Fletcher scored Barnsley’s only goal, and was their best forward. The Scunthorpe scorers were Maw, Allen, and Bailey.