1981–82 Challenge Cup

The 1981–82 Challenge Cup was the 81st staging of rugby league's oldest knockout competition, the Challenge Cup. Known as the State Express Challenge Cup for sponsorship reasons, the final was contested by Widnes and Hull F.C. at Wembley. The match ended as a draw, resulting in a replay being staged at Elland Road, which Hull won 18–9.

1981–82 State Express Challenge Cup
Duration6 Rounds
Number of teams33
Winners Hull
Runners-up Widnes
Lance Todd Trophy Eddie Cunningham

Preliminary round
Tie no Home team Score Away team Attendance
1 Hull Kingston Rovers 22–18 Featherstone Rovers 8,090

First round
Tie no Home team Score Away team Attendance
1 St. Helens 12–20 Wigan 7,611
2 Workington Town 32–8 Blackpool Borough 1,410
3 Batley 23–15 Huyton 908
4 Bradford Northern 14–12 Dewsbury 4,176
5 Bramley 4–16 Wakefield Trinity 3,180
6 Cardiff City 8–19 Widnes 6,484
7 Carlisle 2–17 Castleford 5,452
8 Doncaster 6–7 Rochdale Hornets 736
9 Fulham 14–4 Hunslet 3,392
10 Halifax 17–12 Huddersfield 3,991
11 Hull 29–15 Salford 13,697
12 Keighley 6–12 Barrow 4,015
13 Leigh 28–17 Warrington 10,366
14 Swinton 5–15 Oldham 4,095
15 Whitehaven 7–17 Hull Kingston Rovers 3,965
16 York 6–34 Leeds 6,862

Second round
Tie no Home team Score Away team Attendance
1 Hull Kingston Rovers 17–18 Leigh 12,034
2 Barrow 1–9 Leeds 9,677
3 Batley 6–31 Castleford 3,754
4 Bradford Northern 17–8 Workington Town 5,134
5 Fulham 5–11 Hull 9,481
6 Halifax 28–7 Rochdale Hornets 3,919
7 Wakefield Trinity 18–12 Oldham 6,567
8 Wigan 7–9 Widnes 17,467

Third round
Tie no Home team Score Away team Attendance
1 Bradford Northern 8–8 Widnes 9,570
replay Widnes 10–7 Bradford Northern 11,877
2 Hull 16–10 Halifax 16,555
3 Leigh 3–8 Castleford 11,791
4 Wakefield Trinity 2–20 Leeds 10,579

Semi finals
27 March 1982
Hull 15 – 11 Castleford
Try: Kemble, Norton, O'Hara, Prendiville
Goal: Crooks
Drop goal: Topliss		 Report
 Try: Reilly
Goal: Hyde (4)
Headingley, Leeds
Attendance: 21,207
Referee: Billy Thompson (Huddersfield)[1]
3 April 1982
Widnes 11 – 8 Leeds
Try: Basnett (2), O'Loughlin
Goal: J. Myler		 Report
 Try: Dyl, Heron
Goal: Dick
Station Road, Swinton
Attendance: 13,075
Referee: Fred Lindop (Wakefield)[2]

Final

Widnes returned to Wembley as defending champions, having won the Challenge Cup for the sixth time in their history in the previous year.

1 May 1982
Hull 14 – 14 Widnes
Try: Norton, O'Hara
Goal: Lloyd (4)		 Report
 Try: Cunningham (2), Wright
Goal: Burke, Gregory
Drop goal: Elwell
Wembley, London
Attendance: 92,147
Referee: Fred Lindop (Wakefield)
Player of the Match: Eddie Cunningham

Widnes led by eight points with 15 minutes of the game remaining, but Hull F.C. came back to draw the match 14–14, meaning the final would be replayed for the first time since 1954.[3]

Replay
19 May 1982
Hull 18 – 9 Widnes
Try: Kemble, Topliss (2), Crooks
Goal: Crooks (3)		 Report
 Try: Wright
Goal: Burke (3)
Elland Road, Leeds
Attendance: 41,171
Referee: Fred Lindop (Wakefield)
Player of the Match: David Topliss[4]

References
  1. Kennedy, Edward (29 March 1982). "Hull weather storm". The Guardian. p. 17. ProQuest 186264954.
  2. "O'Loughlin takes a winning stroll". The Observer. London. 4 April 1982. p. 48. ProQuest 476755126.
  3. Nicholson, Geoffrey (2 May 1982). "One Hull of a fightback". The Observer. London. p. 41. ProQuest 476766355.
  4. "Totally Topliss". The Guardian. 20 May 1982. p. 26. ProQuest 186308640.
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