1953–54 Lancashire Cup


1953–54 was the forty-first occasion on which the Lancashire Cup completion had been held.

St. Helens won the trophy by beating Wigan by the score of 16-8.

The match was played at Station Road, Pendlebury,. The attendance was 42,793 and receipts were £6,918.

The attendance was again a record, albeit only beating the previous record by about 250.

Sport in general was now at its height of popularity, brought about by the ending of the Second World War, the new peace, the new affluence and more free time. Rugby League was no exception and this particular attendance record would never be broken.

Background

Overall, the number of teams entering this year’s competition remained the same as last year’s total of 14

The same pre-war fixture format was retained. This season saw no bye but one “blank” or “dummy” fixture in the first round. There was also one bye but no “blank” fixture” in the second round.

As last season, all the first round matches of the competition will be played on the basis of two legged, home and away, ties – and the remainder of the rounds remaining on straight forward knock-out basis.

Competition and results

Round 1 - First Leg

Involved 7 matches and 14 clubs
Game NoFixture DateHome TeamScoreAway TeamVenueaggAttRecNotesRef
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1Sat 05 Sep 1953Barrow14-13St. HelensCraven Park11,921
2Sat 05 Sep 1953Liverpool City2-14SwintonMill Yard, Knotty Ash
3Sat 05 Sep 1953Rochdale Hornets7-12Workington TownAthletic Grounds
4Sat 05 Sep 1953Salford12-7WiganThe Willows
5Sat 05 Sep 1953Warrington28-7Belle Vue RangersWilderspool
6Sat 05 Sep 1953Whitehaven13-12OldhamRecreation Ground
7Sat 05 Sep 1953Widnes9-14LeighNaughton Park
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Round 1 – Second Leg

Involved 7 matches and 14 clubs. These are the reverse fixture from the first leg
Game NoFixture DateHome TeamScoreAway TeamVenueaggAttRecNotesRef
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1Wed 09 Sep 1953St. Helens21-17BarrowKnowsley Road34-3120,100
2Wed 09 Sep 1953Swinton20-4Liverpool CityStation Road34-6
3Wed 09 Sep 1953Workington Town10-5Rochdale HornetsBorough Park22-12
4Mon 07 Sep 1953Wigan28-2SalfordCentral Park35-14
5Tue 08 Sep 1953Belle Vue Rangers14-17WarringtonBelle Vue Stadium21-46
6Mon 07 Sep 1953Oldham45-6WhitehavenWatersheddings57-19
7Wed 09 Sep 1953Leigh25-5WidnesKirkhall Lane39-14
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Round 2 - Quarter Finals

Involved 3 matches and 7 clubs
Game NoFixture DateHome TeamScoreAway TeamVenueaggAttRecNotesRef
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1Wed 23 Sep 1953St. Helens38-9SwintonKnowsley Road19,000
2Wed 23 Sep 1953Wigan10-7Workington TownCentral Park
3Thu 24 Sep 1953Warrington12-11OldhamWilderspool
4Leighbye

Round 3 – Semi-Finals

Involved 2 matches and 4 clubs
Game NoFixture DateHome TeamScoreAway TeamVenueaggAttRecNotesRef
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1Mon 28 Sep 1953Wigan11-6LeighCentral Park
2Thu 01 Oct 1953St. Helens17-10WarringtonKnowsley Road23,184

Final

Teams and scorers

St. Helens№Wigan
teams
Glyn Moses1Jack Cunliffe
Steve Llewellyn2Brian Nordgren
Doug Greenall3Jack Broome
Don Gullick4Ernie Ashcroft
Stan McCormick5Ronnie Hurst
Peter Metcalfe6Jack Fleming
Jimmy Honey 7Johnny Alty
Alan Prescott8Ken Gee
Reg Blakemore9Ronald Mather
George Parr 10Nat Silcock, Jr.
George Parsons11Frank Collier
Bill Bretherton 12Tommy Horrocks
Vince Karalius13Harry Street
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16score8
4HT8
Scorers
Tries
Jimmy Honey TJack Fleming
Glyn Moses THarry Street
Goals
Peter Metcalfe GKen Gee
RefereeM. Coates, Pudsey

Scoring - Try = three points - Goal = two points - Drop goal = two points

The road to success

All the first round ties were played on a two leg basis.

The first club named in each of the first round ties played the first leg at home.

The scores shown in the first round are the aggregate score over the two legs.