Sheffield Daily Telegraph – Monday 20 February 1922

Midland League.

Worksop Town Strengthen Their Position.

 Wednesday Drop a Point

Wakefield City maintained their improved form in the home match with Wath, and in the second half especially, played a very vigorous game. On the whole Wath’s combination was better, but they were up against a sound defence. Hargreaves and Prior played smartly for Wath, and Rowbottom and Middlehurst were the pick of the home side. Woollerton, in goal, played magnificently for the City. Wath were leading at the interval by a fine goal scored by Prier, and in the second half two goals were obtained for Wakefield by Rowbottom. The City’s experiment of giving trials to young local players is proving most successful.

Mexborough, whose creditable record for the past two months is in striking contrast to the club’s opening run of disasters, secured two more points, this time at the expense of Mansfield. it was a one-sided game, despite the fact that the visitors were defeated only by the one goal of the match. Put ahead early on by Armitage, Mexborough were slow not to improve their lead. Mansfield were clearly off form, possibly as a result of their hard mid-week fixture.

After being two goals in arrears half way through the second half, Wombwell managed to draw with Doncaster Rovers at Wombwell. This was a very fine recovery, seeing that it was accomplished with only ten men. Wombwell lost Dawber (through injury) at the interval. In the first half both sides played attractive football and Doncaster scored through Copley. Early in the second half Kemp increased the Rovers’ lead. The situation looked black for Wombwell when the game took a sensational turn. Bolsover bustled the ball through after Willis had put a header on to the cross bar and immediately afterwards Howson scored with a penalty kick. In the last five minutes the Rovers fought desperately to get the winning goal, but, Johnson was brilliant in the Wombwell goal. Story of Missed Chances.

Whittingham’s Strategy.

Scunthorpe United were full value for their 3-0 win over Denaby United. The first half was full of incident and the clever footwork of the home contingent was good to watch. Whittingham showed considerable strategy in obtaining Scunthorpe’s first goal. Before the interval, Whittingham enabled Mayourk to go through and score a second goal. Eakins was then carried off with a badly wrenched knee, and Coope, Denaby’s right back, who took his place performed exceedingly well. Although handicapped, Denaby played gamely to the end, and only once was Coope beaten, Meredith scoring with a great shot. Taylor, Denaby’s new centre-forward, made one or two brilliant individual attempts to score. Burkinshaw and Wilson were their best wing. An outstanding player in defence was the big centre-half, Kennedy. For Scunthorpe Betts and Ackroyd were safe backs. Lloyd was the best of good halves, and Meredith the most prominent of lively forwards.

 Harrogate were at home to Wednesday Reserves on Saturday, and did very well to make a 1-1 draw. The Wednesday were quickly on the attack, but found Harrogate strong in defence. Watmough and Slater were continually putting in good centres for Harrogate, but H. O’Neill and Gray greatly helped Birch. Following a breakaway, Harrogate opened the scoring by Fawcett, who received from J. H. Smith, and scored from six yards range. In the second half Gedney missed a good chance when Birch fell in goal. Wednesday equalised through Lunn, who broke through the defence. and put the ball into the corner of the net. Harrogate attacked, and kept the Wednesday’s defence busy, but were unable to gain the lead.

As anticipated, the meeting of Castleford Town and Rotherham County Reserves provided a fast, vigorous, and open game. No goals were scored, as the defences were always able to check the raiding forwards. Wheatley, the visitors’ right back, was hurt before the interval, when tackling Hayden, and took no further part in the game, whilst Robins had to leave the field for a time after clashing with Hargreaves- Booth, the home centre-half, was the outstanding player. He repeatedly broke up the visitors’ combination, and gave his forwards many clever passes. Castleford were attacking strongly at the finish.

Boston Outclassed.

Worksop Town had no difficulty in retaining their lead at the top of the table, for Boston Town never seriously tested them, and they won by 3-0. Worksop were clearly superior to their visitors, who have their goalkeeper to thank that the score was not doubled. Blakey made many fine saves. The visiting backs were outpaced, and of their halves only Craven did well. By the reintroduction of Charlesworth at centre-forward, the home attack was strengthened, and he scored a great goal after a brilliant individual run Richardson, with a penalty, scored a second, and the third was gained by Lilley with a screw shot.

Casson’s Happy Debut at Grimsby.

Playing in the second half with only ten men. Grimsby Town Reserves gained a 2 – 0 victory over Rotherham Town. Both goals were scored by the Town’s new acquisition, Casson, formerly of South Shields. Rotherham were a spirited lot and the score by no means represents the display made by the Yorkshiremen, whose defence was most sturdy. The goals were scored in the closing stages of each half. In the second half Albert Smith missed from a penalty.

Although Gainsborough Trinity succeeded in snatching a victory from Notts Forest by the bare margin of a penalty goal, scored by Talbot, the game might almost be described as a story of missed opportunities. Had the Trinity secured a lead of 3-0 at the interval, the score would not have over-represented their superiority. In the second half the Trinity monopolised the play, but the result was the same. They could do anything but score. An outstanding feature was the fine work of the Trinity half-backs.

Notts County Reserves were too good for Lincoln City Reserves at Meadow Lane, and won by 3-0. At one stage of the first half the visitors looked like making a fight of it, but a few minutes before the interval Chipperfield headed through and Gough scored a second for Notts. After 25 minutes in the second half Gibson converted a Penalty for Notts arid immediately following Forbes missed for Lincoln from a similar award.