The 1954–55 Lancashire Cup was the forty-second occasion on which English rugby league's 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.
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
Round 1 Involved 8 matches (with no bye or “blank” fixture) and 16 clubs
Game NoFixture dateHome team Score Away teamVenueAttRecNotesRef 1Sat 11 Sep 1954Blackpool Borough5-9Belle Vue RangersSt Anne's Road Greyhound Stadium1 2 2Sat 11 Sep 1954Leigh21-10WiganKirkhall Lane3Sat 11 Sep 1954Oldham57-17Lancashire AmateursWatersheddings3 4Sat 11 Sep 1954Liverpool City6-3SalfordMill Yard, Knotty Ash5Sat 11 Sep 1954Rochdale Hornets10-13BarrowAthletic Grounds6Sat 11 Sep 1954St. Helens27-6WhitehavenKnowsley Road13,6007Sat 11 Sep 1954Widnes16-13WarringtonNaughton Park8Sat 11 Sep 1954Workington Town27-0SwintonBorough Park
Round 2 - quarterfinals Involved 4 matches (with no bye) and 8 clubs
Game NoFixture dateHome team Score Away teamVenueAttRecNotesRef 1Mon 20 Sep 1954Belle Vue Rangers9-37LeighBelle Vue Stadium4 2Mon 20 Sep 1954Oldham20-9St. HelensWatersheddings16,0003Wed 22 Sep 1954Liverpool City8-11Workington TownMill Yard, Knotty Ash4Thu 23 Sep 1954Barrow36-0WidnesCraven Park
Round 3 – semifinals Involved 2 matches and 4 clubs
Game NoFixture dateHome team Score Away teamVenueAttRecNotesRef 1Wed 29 Sep 1954Leigh2-7BarrowKirkhall Lane2Thu 30 Sep 1954Workington Town13-20OldhamBorough Park
Final Game NoFixture dateHome team Score Away teamVenueAttRecNotesRef Saturday 23 October 1954Barrow12-2OldhamStation Road25,204£4,6035
Teams and scorers
BarrowNo.Oldham Teams Colin Poole1Bernard GanleyDerek Hinchley2Dick CracknellPhil Jackson3Roland BarrowDennis Goodwin4Alan DaviesFrank Castle5Terry O'GradyWillie Horne (c)6Frank DaleyTed Toohey7Frank PitchfordLes Belshaw8Harry OgdenVince McKeating9Jack KeithFrank Barton10Ken JacksonJackGrundy11Charlie WinsladeReg Parker12Sid LittleBill Healey13Bryn Goldswainstar winger James 'Gentleman Jim' Lewthwaite injured and missed this gamenote 12score210HT2 Scorers Tries T Goals GG Drop Goals DGReferee Scoring - Try = three (3) points - Goal = two (2) points - Drop goal = two (2) points
The road to success
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 1954–55 Northern Rugby Football League season Rugby league county cups
References
External links Saints Heritage Society 1896–97 Northern Rugby Football Union season at wigan.rlfans.com Hull&Proud Fixtures & Results 1896/1897 Widnes Vikings - One team, one passion Season In Review - 1896-97 The Northern Union at warringtonwolves.org