1954–55 Lancashire Cup

1954–55 was the forty-second occasion on which the Lancashire Cup competition had been held.
This year, the first time for many years save a new name on the trophy. Barrow changed codes to rugby league in 1897, were promoted into the league for season 1900–01 and have taken part in every one of the Lancashire Cup competitions since their inception in 1905, and now finally, almost 50 years later, they won the trophy by beating Oldham in the final by the score of 12–2.
The match was played at Station Road, Pendlebury (historically in the county of Lancashire). The attendance was 25,204 and receipts were £4,603.

1954–55 Lancashire Cup
StructureRegional knockout championship
Teams16
WinnersBarrow
Runners-upOldham

Background

This year saw the entry on new league members Blackpool Borough, and this together with the invitation to juniors, Lancashire Amateurs brought the total number of clubs to a full complement of 16.
For the first time in the competition, there was no need to have any byes or “blank/dummy” fixtures.
The same pre-war fixture format was retained, but, as mentioned, for the first time without any bye or dummy” fixtures.
And for the first time since the outbreak of war in 1939, the two-legged fixtures were abolished, resulting in the competition being played on a knock-out basis.

Competition and results

[1]

Round 1

Involved 8 matches (with no bye or “blank” fixture) and 16 clubs

Game No Fixture date Home team Score Away team Venue Att Rec Notes Ref
1Sat 11 Sep 1954Blackpool Borough5-9Belle Vue RangersSt Anne's Road Greyhound Stadium1 2
2Sat 11 Sep 1954Leigh21-10WiganKirkhall Lane[2]
3Sat 11 Sep 1954Oldham57-17Lancashire AmateursWatersheddings3
4Sat 11 Sep 1954Liverpool City6-3SalfordMill Yard, Knotty Ash
5Sat 11 Sep 1954Rochdale Hornets10-13BarrowAthletic Grounds
6Sat 11 Sep 1954St. Helens27-6WhitehavenKnowsley Road13,600[3]
7Sat 11 Sep 1954Widnes16-13WarringtonNaughton Park[4][5]
8Sat 11 Sep 1954Workington Town27-0SwintonBorough Park

Round 2 - quarterfinals

Involved 4 matches (with no bye) and 8 clubs

Game No Fixture date Home team Score Away team Venue Att Rec Notes Ref
1Mon 20 Sep 1954Belle Vue Rangers9-37LeighBelle Vue Stadium4
2Mon 20 Sep 1954Oldham20-9St. HelensWatersheddings16,000[3]
3Wed 22 Sep 1954Liverpool City8-11Workington TownMill Yard, Knotty Ash
4Thu 23 Sep 1954Barrow36-0WidnesCraven Park[4]

Round 3 – semifinals

Involved 2 matches and 4 clubs

Game No Fixture date Home team Score Away team Venue Att Rec Notes Ref
1Wed 29 Sep 1954Leigh2-7BarrowKirkhall Lane
2Thu 30 Sep 1954Workington Town13-20OldhamBorough Park

Final
Game No Fixture date Home team Score Away team Venue Att Rec Notes Ref
Saturday 23 October 1954Barrow12-2OldhamStation Road25,204£4,6035[6]

Teams and scorers
Barrow No. Oldham
teamsprobable team
Colin Poole1Frank Stirrup
Derek Hinchley2Roland Barrow
Phil Jackson3Dick Cracknell
Dennis Goodwin4Alan Davies
Frank Castle5Terry O'Grady
Willie Horne (c)6Frank Daley
Ted Toohey7Frank Pitchford
Les Belshaw8Harry Ogden
Vince McKeating9Jack Keith
Frank Barton10Ken Jackson
JackGrundy11Charlie Winslade
Reg Parker12Sid Little
Bill Healey13Bryn Goldswain
star winger James 'Gentleman Jim' Lewthwaite injured and missed this gamenote
12score2
10HT2
Scorers
Tries
T
Goals
G
G
Drop Goals
DG
Referee

Scoring - Try = three (3) points - Goal = two (2) points - Drop goal = two (2) points

[7][8]

The road to success
First round Second round Semifinals Final
            
Blackpool Borough 5
Belle Vue Rangers 9
Belle Vue Rangers 9
Leigh 37
Leigh 21
Wigan 10
Leigh 2
Barrow 7
Rochdale Hornets 10
Barrow 13
Barrow 36
Widnes 0
Widnes 16
Warrington 13
Barrow 12
Oldham 2
Liverpool City 6
Salford 3
Liverpool City 8
Workington Town 11
Workington Town 27
Swinton 0
Workington Town 13
Oldham 20
Oldham 57
Lancashire Amateurs 17
Oldham 20
St. Helens 9
St. Helens 27
Whitehaven 6

Notes and comments

1 * This season saw, for the first time ever, a full 16 clubs taking part and also a return to a knock-out tournament in ll rounds.
2 * The first Lancashire Cup match played by the new club Blackpool Borough and on this, their first ground
3 * Lancashire Amateurs were a junior (or amateur) club from Lancashire
4 * The last game played by this founding club. At the end of the season they folded
5 * Station Road was the home ground of Swinton from 1929 to 1932 and at its peak was one of the finest rugby league grounds in the country and it boasted a capacity of 60,000. The actual record attendance was for the Challenge Cup semi-final on 7 April 1951 when 44,621 watched Wigan beat Warrington 3-2

See also

References
  1. "Rugby League Project".
  2. "Wigan "Cherry and White" archived results".
  3. "Saints Heritage Society - History - Season 1896-97".
  4. "Widnes Vikings - History - Season In Review - 1896-97".
  5. "Warrington Wolves - Results Archive - 1897". Archived from the original on 6 July 2010.
  6. Raymond Fletcher and David Howes (1991). Rothmans Rugby League Yearbook 1991-100. Queen Anne Press. ISBN 0 35617852 8.
  7. "Barrow RLFC website". Archived from the original on 22 February 2014.
  8. "Oldham Heritage Trust".
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