A brilliantly headed goal by Denis Hancock from a Haddon centre after only four minutes play set Trowbridge on the way to a well-merited victory over Bath City Res. on Saturday and. incidentally, provided satisfying recompense for a 3-0 reverse in the first fixture between the clubs at Twerton a couple of weeks earlier. The situation for Trowbridge did not appear too rosy when it became known that Watson and McGhee would absentees from the attack, but it was a pleasant surprise to see Denis Tuck emerge from the dressing rooms. The reason for this is given in an interesting story elsewhere on this page (*See below). Denis Hancock and John Davies (home on Army leave) proved worthy deputees for the missing forwards, however, and contributed greatly to the team s victory.
After Hancock, with perfect judgment, had headed the ball well wide of goalkeeper Tanner, Trowbridge took command and until the interval they never played second fiddle to their opponents, whose defence was shaky under pressure and were guilty of lapses which might well have resulted a bigger interval deficit than 3-0. Davies' ball control was excellent, sometimes a little overdone, to his own detriment, but it often drew the City defenders out of position, and gave glorious openings to the Town forwards, notably Greenland, who gave a dashing display at centre-forward. He scored two goals. The first, after 23 minutes, was a header from a splendidly-placed corner kick by Haddon, and the second he scored from close range when the City defence showed unusual slowness in clearing. Ten minutes after the interval Webb finished one of his elusive solo runs with a shot that sent the ball into the City net via the foot of an upright, and Jones reduced the City's arrears with a very good shot from the left wing a few minutes later.
The City attack had a clever schemer in Lyke, and grand triers in Norris and Jones, but they lacked an accurate marksman. Had they possessed one in the second half they must have scored more than once, for the Town defence were hard-pressed and at times rather unreliable in their kicking. It was satisfying, however, to see Jim Sutherland kicking with far greater certainly than in recent games, and Tuck did a lot of good work. Green did not get a lot to in goal, but like his opposite number he did not handle the bail very convincingly at times, though it must recorded that it was unpleasantly greasy. What a pity John Davies will not be available more often. We hear he will be going on overseas service shortly. The match attendance was 1,700.
Trowbridge team: Green: Sutherland. Welch; Lovesey, Tuck, Grimason; Haddon. J. Davies, Greenland. Hancock, Webb.
BEST MAN TO CENTRE-HALF DENIS TUCK
*Trowbridge Town's professional centre-half, had anticipated a day off from football last Saturday, because he was best man at his brother's wedding at Swindon.
But it did not work out that way, because Friday evening Team Manager Jim Parlour received intimation that Denis Oram, who had been selected to play, would not be available. So he sent a wire to Tuck asking him If could make it on Saturday. Denis, a grand sport as well as a grand player, immediately said yes, and arranged that he would carry out his duties as best man and then jump into waiting car and dash to Trowbridge.
This plan worked admirably, Denis arriving at the ground in his wedding suit and white floral buttonhole shortly before the game started. He had been driven from Swindon by Mr. George Harding, member of the Town F.C. Supporters' Club. Denis played a fine game and helped his side to defeat Bath City Res. 4-1.
Report from The Wiltshire Times
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