The 1972–73 BBC2 Floodlit Trophy was the eighth occasion on which the BBC2 Floodlit Trophy competition had been held. This year was another new name on the trophy: Leigh won the trophy by beating Widnes by the score of 5-0. The match was played at Central Park, Wigan, (historically in the county of Lancashire). The attendance was 4,691 and receipts were £1,391.
This was Leigh's first victory after being runner-up in two of the previous finals.
Background This season saw no changes in the entrants, no new members and no withdrawals, the number remaining at eighteen.
The format remained the same as the last season with the preliminary round played on a two-legged home and away basis and the rest of the tournament being played on a knock-out basis.
The preliminary round involved four clubs, to reduce the numbers to sixteen.
Competition and results
Preliminary round Involved 2 matches and 4 clubs
First leg Game NoFixture dateHome team Score Away teamVenueaggAttRecNotesRefP1Tue 5 Sep 1972Wakefield Trinity7-7Hull F.C.Belle VueP1Tue 12 Sep 1972Hull Kingston Rovers15-6Rochdale HornetsCraven Park (1)
Second leg Game NoFixture dateHome team Score Away teamVenueaggAttRecNotesRefP2Tue 19 Sep 1972Hull F.C.3-11Wakefield TrinityBoulevard10-181P2Tue 26 Sep 1972Rochdale Hornets9-23Hull Kingston RoversAthletic Grounds15-38
Round 1 Involved 8 matches and 16 clubs Game NoFixture dateHome team Score Away teamVenueAttRecNotesRef1Tue 3 Oct 1972Barrow9-12KeighleyCraven Park22Tue 3 Oct 1972Oldham12-8SalfordWatersheddings3Wed 4 Oct 1972Hull Kingston Rovers10-12LeighCraven Park (1)4Tue 10 Oct 1972St. Helens6-14LeedsKnowsley Road5Tue 17 Oct 1972Huddersfield9-15CastlefordFartown6Tue 24 Oct 1972Wigan26-6HalifaxCentral Park37Wed 25 Oct 1972Swinton6-18Wakefield TrinityStation Road8Tue 31 Oct 1972Warrington18-18WidnesWilderspool
Replay Game NoFixture dateHome team Score Away teamVenueAttRecNotesRefRTue 14 Nov 1972Widnes14-11WarringtonNaughton Park
Round 2 Involved 4 matches with 8 clubs
Game NoFixture dateHome team Score Away teamVenueAttRecNotesRef1Tue 7 Nov 1972Oldham9-7CastlefordWatersheddings2Tue 14 Nov 1972Wakefield Trinity19-2KeighleyBelle Vue3Tue 21 Nov 1972Widnes9-4LeedsNaughton Park4Tue 28 Nov 1972Wigan14-16LeighCentral Park3
Semi-finals Involved 2 matches and 4 clubs Game NoFixture dateHome team Score Away teamVenueAttRecNotesRef1Tue 5 Dec 1972Leigh10-8OldhamHilton Park2Tue 12 Dec 1972Widnes16-9Wakefield TrinityNaughton Park
Final Game NoFixture dateHome team Score Away teamVenueAttRecNotesRefFTuesday 19 December 1972Leigh5-0WidnesCentral Park4,6911,3913 4 5 6
Teams and scorers LeighNo.Widnes teams Mick Hogan1Ray DuttonGraeme Lawson2Alan PrescottJohn Atkin3Bob Blackwood (NOTE 6)Mick Collins4Mal Aspey (NOTE 7)Mick Stacey5Paul McDonnellTony Barrow6Ged LoweCliff Sayer7Alan AshtonPaul Grimes8Jim MillsDerek Clarke9Keith ElwellGeoff Fletcher10John WarlowJim Fiddler11John ForanFrank Barrow12Barry SheridanThomas Martyn13George NichollsLes PearceCoachVince Karalius 5score00HT0 Scorers Tries G. Lawson (1)T Goals Jim Fiddler (1)GRefereeFred Lindop (Wakefield) Scoring - Try = three (3) points - Goal = two (2) points - Drop goal = two (2) points
The road to success This tree excludes any preliminary round fixtures
Notes and comments 1 * Wakefield Trinity, who joined the competition in season 1967–68, win their first game in the competition 2 * Keighley (who joined the competition in season 1967–68) win their first match in the competition 3 * This match was televised 4 * This was the second of only two occasions when the BBC2 Floodlit Trophy final was played on a neutral ground 5 * Rothmans Rugby League Yearbook 1990-1991 and 1991-92 give the attendance as 4,691, but RUGBYLEAGUEprojects gives it as 4,841 6 * The Widnes official archives give this player, Bob Blackwood as number 3 but Rothmans Rugby League Yearbook 1990-91 and 1991-92 give the position as 4 7 * The Widnes official archives give this player, Mal Aspey as number 4 but Rothmans Tearbook 1990-91 and 1991-92 give the position as 3
See also 1972–73 Northern Rugby Football League season 1972 Lancashire Cup 1972 Yorkshire Cup BBC2 Floodlit Trophy 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 Huddersfield R L Heritage