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. 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 and 16 clubs

Round 2 - Quarter Finals

Involved 4 matches and 8 clubs
Game NoFixture DateHome TeamScoreAway TeamVenueAttRecNotesRef
-
1Mon 20 Sep 1954Belle Vue Rangers9-37LeighBelle Vue Stadium4
2Mon 20 Sep 1954Oldham20-9St. HelensWatersheddings16,000
3Wed 22 Sep 1954Liverpool City8-11Workington TownMill Yard, Knotty Ash
4Thu 23 Sep 1954Barrow36-0WidnesCraven Park

Round 3 – Semi-Finals

Involved 2 matches and 4 clubs
Game NoFixture DateHome TeamScoreAway TeamVenueAttRecNotesRef
-
1Wed 29 Sep 1954Leigh2-7BarrowKirkhall Lane-
2Thu 30 Sep 1954Workington Town13-20OldhamBorough Park-

Final

Teams and scorers

Barrow№Oldham-
-
teamsprobable team-
Colin Poole1Frank Stirrup-
Derek Hinchley2Roland Barrow -
Phil Jackson3Dick Cracknell-
Dennis Goodwin4Alan Davies-
Frank Castle5Terry O'Grady-
Willie Horne 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 points - Goal = two points - Drop goal = two points

The road to success