21-10-39: Barnsley (a) 4-5 (HT 2-2) Crowd (3,000)

Gordon Hodgson came on as a substitute for Inside-Right John Short for the second half.

Thanks to Steve Bell for identifying the Barnsley defence

Match Report: Yorkshire Post 23rd October 1939

START OF REGIONAL COMPETITION Attendances Show Little Advance LEEDS UNITED BEATEN IN "FRIENDLY"

The Football League's eight regional competitions began on Saturday. Some time must elapse before the public's response can be assessed to this war-time substitute for the four divisions of the League; but for the first fixtures the attendances were little better than they had been at the friendly matches, which have done little more than pay bare expenses. The hope, of course, is that with points at stake interest will be stimulated, and the poor response to the friendly fixtures has made it clear that the game itself as a spectacle attracts only a small proportion of those who follow the Association game in peace time. The only friendly match in which League clubs were engaged on Saturday was between Barnsley and Leeds United, and though there were fewer than three thousand spectators at Oakwell, the game was most entertaining and contained much clever football. Against a Leeds defence which, with one exception, was of First Division calibre, Barnsley scored no fewer than five goals, and everyone was well earned by fast, skilful football. McGarry, whose proper position is at outside-left, scored three of the goals as a centre-forward, and Steele and Smith, who constituted the right wing, had one each. It was this wing that did nearly all the damage. Steele, a strong, clever Scot, showed excellent constructive work, despite the close attention paid him by the young Leeds half-back, Leslie Thompson, and Smith was extraordinarily quick on the wing, beating Gadsby, the Leeds left back, time after time.

United's Young Team

Barnsley's imported left wing, consisting of Stamp, of Derby County, and Myers, of Cardiff City, was comparatively disappointing. Leeds United had a very young team in the field, and three of the players, Goldberg, McGraw and Powell, registered for the Militia before going to Barnsley, so that with Copping, Stephenson and Ainsley already with the Forces, the club will have to be looking round for outside help. Swindin, their one importation up to the present, again gave a very alert exhibition in goal, while Goldberg and Holley put up a first-class defence. Short, who came into the Leeds attack as inside right to Henry, gave a highly promising display, but after scoring two goals he twisted his knee and had to retire just before the interval. Hodgson, whom it had been intended to rest, turned out as substitute in the second half, taking his usual position in the centre, Dunderdale, who had started there, moving to inside right. Leeds scored two more goals in the second half, Dunderdale getting one after feinting to pass, and Henry, who showed characteristic dash on the right wing, the other.