06 December 1921

UNUSUAL INCIDENTS AT DEWSBURY MATCH

The playing of this postponed Northern League fixture, at Crown Flatt, yesterday provided a poor exhibition of football, and there was really no need for anyone to lose temper over the proceedings.

It was, therefore, all the more to be regretted that in the second half the referee (Mr. R. Robinson, Bradford) should find it necessary to stop the game while directed the attention the police to the unruly spectator, who was promptly removed from the enclosure. Bad sportsmanship, both on the part of players and spectators, should put down with a rigorous hand, and the authorities will find the Dewsbury management keen to help in this matter.

The game was most likely spoilt from the spectacular point by the fact that both sides suffered from important absentees, and players were placed in unaccustomed positions. Dewsbury were without Seddon, Joe Lyman, Ernest Rogers, and Jenkinson. James Lyman had to play fall back. Sykes at wing three-quarter, Sharples at centre, and Catterall at half back.

For a good part of the game Sharples was suffering from injury, and he changed places at centre three-quarter with Gallagher, who interested the spectators greatly by the way in which he endeavoured to fit himself into a position he has never, we believe, previously occupied. He is versatile artiste, and he must have surprised his colleagues by the unorthodox methods he employed for opening out the game. Especially in the second half, he kept the ball going at times in bewildering fashion, but always in the direction the Featherstone line.

James Lyman was fairly good at full back, but a little too prone do unexpected things. Rees was the best of the rest of the backs, for Catterall did not seem quite at home at the base of the pack, his passes being too slow and ill-directed. Leake and Craven were hard-working forwards.

Featherstone were best served by Morgan at half-back. J.Hirst and J.Denton at three-quarters, and E. Barraclough in the forwards.  Like Dewsbury they were handicapped by having to play substitutes for S.Denton, Burridge, Higson and Wynard. It was quite evident that the backs were individually very capable; but, as a collective force, they lacked cohesion and idea. Hirst was very forceful at times and Morgan should develop into very smart half-back.

 Featherstone had no luck in the first half, when they missed four penalty kicks within "speaking" distance of the posts, two them actually striking the uprights. When Dewsbury had broken the ice with a smart try by Baker it was evident that Featherstone would add one more to their list of defeats.

Leeds Mercury 7 December 1921