Sheffield Daily Telegraph – Monday 07 November 1921

Midland League.

Rotherham County Reserves give Worksop a Hard Game.

The best game of the season was witnessed at Central Avenue, where Worksop Town defeated Rotherham County Reserves 3-2, after a thrilling and exciting tussle, and so strengthened their position at the head of the table. The visitors played clever open football—they have scored more goals than any other club—but Brown kept a fine goal. In the first half Worksop led through goals scored by Robinson and Bretnall, Pape (Rotherham) having failed to convert a penalty. However, Shaw reduced the deficit, and Kirk scored the equaliser. But Richardson, with a free kick, gave his side the lead, the ball glancing off Sutcliffe’s arm on to the post and into the net. A feature of the game was the play of Williams, the visitors’ outside right.

Wednesday Reserves scored the winning goal in the second half of the match against Hull City Reserves at Anlaby Road, Hull, on Saturday. Blenkinsop netted from a penalty conceded by Armitage in the first five minutes and Joe Kitchen got a second for the home club five minutes later. Play was very interesting and vigorous, and clever Wednesday combination resulted in Lunn and W. Taylor scoring.

Harrogate gained a splendid 4-1 victory over Lincoln City at Harrogate, on Saturday. Harrogate had to play several reserves, and had the advantage for the most part of the game. After twenty-five minutes Fawcett got through on his own, and opened the scoring for Harrogate, J. S. Smith adding a second a minute later by heading in a pass from Slater. Lincoln pressed on the restart, and Hall had hard lines with a shot which hit the post. A fine bit of passing by the Harrogate forwards ended in J. H. Smith getting through. A rush to the other end saw Barnett get in a high shot, which Gale could not reach. Towards the end Forbes got Harrogate’s fourth.

Wath Athletic and Notts County Reserves played an even game at Wath, and drew 1–1. Nuttall, the home centre half-back, scored in the first half, and Death equalised at the end of an hour’s play Topham (Wath) and Streets (Notts) had plenty to do in goal and did it well, and the visitors were well served by Cope (back), and Woodland (centre-half).

Thrills at Castleford.

There were some thrilling movements in the Castleford Town and Rotherham Town match on Saturday, the home club winning 2-0. The home forwards, led by Roe, were a constant source of danger to the Rotherham defence. Roebuck made some clever -saves, and Taylor made a splendid right back, Twice, however, they were unable to – cope with the attack and Tillotson and Bell netted for Castleferd. It was unfortunate that Bond, Rotherham Town’s new left half, should have to make his debut, against Robins, and the Kiveton Park player was tired out with chasing the Castleford winger. Whelpton made several good saves for Castleford.

Doncaster Rovers won 1-0 at Wakefield. The game was fast and even, and a notable feature was the magnificent display of Woollerton, Wakefield’s young goalkeeper, who on one occasion cleared six stinging shots in as many seconds. Doncaster scored through Jackson after sixty, minutes’ play, just prior to which Macdonald the Wakefield inside left, shot wide when he had only Hendry to beat at three yards range.

Three thousand spectators watched Mexborough beat Barnsley Reserve 1-0 at Mexborough. One goal or the other was constantly in danger, and Thorpe, of Barnsley, and Cope, of Mexborough, saved wonderfully in many a desperate situation. Mexborough got their goal and their victory from a penalty kick by Armitage, just on the interval, Armstrong having brushed Ingham’s heel as the young Mexborough forward was boring through. In the second half, Charlie Taylor, the Mexborough left half, was knocked out as a result of a foul by Duke, the Barnsley inside right, and Mr. Richardson at once ordered Duke off the field. There was a “scene,” and Duke protested that he had not intended the foul, but he had to go. Though depleted, Barnsley played with great determination, and were certainly the better team in the second half, being thwarted by the Rawmarsh schoolboy goalkeeper alone. Cope was beaten by a wonderful drive from Retford, but the ball struck the crossbar and came out, though it appeared to have gone over the line.