1987–88 Yorkshire Cup

The 1987–88 Yorkshire Cup was the 80th occasion on which the Yorkshire Cup competition was held. Bradford Northern won the trophy by beating Castleford by the score of 11–2 in a replay after drawing the first match 12–12. The competition was sponsored by John Smith's Brewery.

1987–88 Yorkshire Cup
StructureRegional knockout championship
Teams18
WinnersBradford Northern
Runners-upCastleford

This was the fifth time in the incredible eleven-year period in which Castleford, previously only once winners in 1977, will make eight appearances in the Yorkshire Cup final, winning on four and ending as runner-up on four occasions. This season there were no junior/amateur clubs taking part, no new entrants and no "leavers" and so the total of entries remained the same at eighteen. This in turn resulted in the necessity to continue with a preliminary round to reduce the number of clubs entering the first round to sixteen.

Background

The Rugby Football League's Yorkshire Cup competition was a knock-out competition between (mainly professional) rugby league clubs from the county of Yorkshire. The actual area was at times increased to encompass other teams from outside the county such as Newcastle, Mansfield, Coventry, and even London (in the form of Acton & Willesden).
The Rugby League season always (until the onset of "Summer Rugby" in 1996) ran from around August-time through to around May-time and this competition always took place early in the season, in the Autumn, with the final taking place in (or just before) December (The only exception to this was when disruption of the fixture list was caused during, and immediately after, the two World Wars)

Competition and results

Preliminary round

Involved 2 matches and 4 clubs

Game No Fixture Date Home Team Score Away Team Venue Att Rec Notes Ref
P1Wed 2 Sep 1987Hull F.C.54-8Huddersfield BarracudasBoulevard2402
P2Wed 2 Sep 1987Wakefield Trinity25-14DewsburyBelle Vue1723

Round 1

Involved 8 matches (with no byes) and 16 clubs

Game No Fixture Date Home Team Score Away Team Venue Att Rec Notes Ref
1Sun 13 Sep 1987Bramley39-12DoncasterMcLaren Field828
2Sun 13 Sep 1987Castleford32-12HunsletWheldon Road4748
3Sun 13 Sep 1987Featherstone Rovers28-6BatleyPost Office Road1433
4Sun 13 Sep 1987Hull Kingston Rovers12-19Bradford NorthernCraven Park (1)3852
5Sun 13 Sep 1987Keighley12-34HalifaxLawkholme Lane4086
6Sun 13 Sep 1987Leeds28-24Hull F.C.Headingley7704
7Sun 13 Sep 1987Mansfield Marksman18-23YorkLowmoor Road256
8Sun 13 Sep 1987Wakefield Trinity32-18Sheffield EaglesBelle Vue2111

Round 2 - Quarter-finals

Involved 4 matches and 8 clubs

Game No Fixture Date Home Team Score Away Team Venue Att Rec Notes Ref
1Tue 22 Sep 1987Bramley6-30Bradford NorthernMcLaren Field2181
2Wed 23 Sep 1987Featherstone Rovers43-6YorkPost Office Road1617
3Wed 23 Sep 1987Halifax0-10CastlefordThrum Hall6101
4Wed 23 Sep 1987Leeds36-8Wakefield TrinityHeadingley6693

Round 3 – Semi-finals

Involved 2 matches and 4 clubs

Game No Fixture Date Home Team Score Away Team Venue Att Rec Notes Ref
1Wed 30 Sep 1987Bradford Northern16-5LeedsOdsal7730
2Wed 30 Sep 1987Featherstone Rovers8-36CastlefordPost Office Road5329

Final

The initial match was played at Headingley, Leeds. The score was 12–12, the attendance was 10,947, and receipts were £40,283.[1] This match was the final appearance for Bradford Northern's Welsh former rugby union international Terry Holmes, who announced his retirement shortly after this game due to a persistent knee problem.[2]

17 October 1987
Bradford Northern 12 – 12 Castleford
Tries: Fairbank
Goals: Mumby (2), Hobbs (2)
 [3]
 Tries: Plange, Lindner
Goals: Ketteridge (2)
Headingley, Leeds
Attendance: 10,947
Referee: K. Allatt (Southport)
Player of the Match: Paul Harkin
Bradford Northern № Castleford
teams
Gary Mercer1David Roockley
Phil Ford2David Plange
Steve McGowan3Tony Marchant
Roger Simpson4Michael Beattie
Richard Francis5Gary Hyde
Keith Mumby6John Joyner
Paul Harkin7Roy Southernwood
Jeff Grayshon8Alan Shillito
Brian Noble9Kevin Beardmore
Brendan Hill10Kevin Ward
Kelvin Skerrett11Martin Ketteridge
Karl Fairbank12John Fifita
Terry Holmes13Bob Lindner
Substitutes
Neil Roebuck (for Terry Holmes)14Robert "Bob" Beardmore (for Alan Shillito)
David Hobbs (for Jeff Grayshon)15Dean Sampson (for Kevin Beardmore)
Barry SeabourneCoachDavid Sampson

Final - Replay

The replay was at Elland Road, Leeds. Bradford Northern won the match 11–2, the attendance was 8,175, and receipts were £30,732.[1] The game was marred by a brawl between both sets of players which took place just before half time. Bradford's Karl Fairbank and Castleford's John Joyner were sent to the sin bin as a result. A further player from each team (Kelvin Skerrett and John Fifita) were sin-binned for separate incidents during the second half.[4]

31 October 1987
Bradford Northern 11 – 2 Castleford
Tries: Hill, Heron
Goals: Hobbs
Drop goals: Hobbs
 [3]
 Goals: Ketteridge
Elland Road, Leeds
Attendance: 8,175
Referee: K. Allatt (Southport)
Player of the Match: Brendan Hill
Bradford Northern № Castleford
teams
Keith Mumby1David Roockley
Phil Ford2David Plange
Steve McGowan3Tony Marchant
Gary Mercer4Michael Beattie
Roger Simpson5Gary Hyde
Russell Stewart6Roy Southernwood
Paul Harkin7Robert "Bob" Beardmore
David Hobbs8Kevin Ward
Brian Noble9Kenny Hill
Brendan Hill10John Fifita
Kelvin Skerrett11Martin Ketteridge
Karl Fairbank12Keith England
Wayne Heron13John Joyner
Substitutes
Neil Roebuck14Giles Boothroyd (for Keith England)
David Redfearn15Dean Sampson (for John Fifita)
Barry SeabourneCoachDavid Sampson

The road to success

The following chart excludes any preliminary round fixtures/results

First round Second round Semi-finals Final
            
Bramley 39
Doncaster 12
Bramley 6
Bradford Northern 30
Hull Kingston Rovers 12
Bradford Northern 19
Bradford Northern 16
Leeds 5
Leeds 28
Hull F.C. 24
Leeds 36
Wakefield Trinity 8
Wakefield Trinity 32
Sheffield Eagles 18
Bradford Northern 12 (11)
Castleford 12 (2)
Featherstone Rovers 28
Batley 6
Featherstone Rovers 43
York 6
Mansfield Marksman 18
York 23
Featherstone Rovers 8
Castleford 36
Keighley 12
Halifax 34
Halifax 0
Castleford 10
Castleford 32
Hunslet 12

See also

Notes
  1. Fletcher & Howes (1988), p. 179.
  2. Fitzpatrick, Paul (30 October 1987). "Sad Holmes retires hurt". The Guardian. London. p. 36. ProQuest 186736106.
  3. Fletcher & Howes (1988), p. 175.
  4. "Finally Bradford". The Guardian. London. 2 November 1987. p. 26. ProQuest 186787981.

References
  • Fletcher, Raymond; Howes, David, eds. (1988). Rothmans Rugby League Yearbook 1988-89. London: Queen Anne Press. ISBN 978-0-356-15882-2.
  • "Yorkshire Cup 1987/88". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 15 April 2023.
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