1946–47 Lancashire Cup

1946–47 was the thirty-fourth occasion on which the Lancashire Cup completion had been held.

1946–47 Lancashire Cup
StructureRegional knockout championship
Teams13
WinnersWigan
Runners-upBelle Vue Rangers

Wigan won the trophy by beating Belle Vue Rangers by the score of 9-3.

The match was played at Station Road, Pendlebury, (historically in the county of Lancashire). The attendance was 21,648 and receipts were £2,658.

Although it could not have been known at this time, this was to be the first of Wigan’s record breaking run of six consecutive Lancashire Cup victories.

It was also to be the first of two consecutive finals to be competed for by these two teams.

Background

The number of teams entering showed little change from before the war.

Leigh returned to the sport using a rented athletic stadium while their purpose built stadium was under construction.

Overall, the number of teams entering this year’s competition increased by one with the return of Leigh bringing the total up to 13.

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

As last season, all the first round ties of the competition was played on the basis of two legged, home and away, ties. In addition, this season, the second round was also on a two leg, home and away basis.

Competition and results

[1]

Round 1

Involved 6 matches (with one bye and one “blank” fixture) and 13 clubs

Game No Fixture Date Home Team Score Away Team Venue agg Att Rec Notes Ref
1Sat 07 Sep 1946Liverpool Stanley0-7Belle Vue RangersStanley Greyhound Stadium
2Sat 07 Sep 1946St. Helens5-14LeighKnowsley Road10,000[2]
3Sat 07 Sep 1946Salford10-3WarringtonThe Willows[3]
4Sat 07 Sep 1946Widnes26-5BarrowNaughton Park[4]
5Sat 07 Sep 1946Wigan49-4Rochdale HornetsCentral Park[5]
6Sat 07 Sep 1946Workington Town2-8OldhamBorough Park
7Swintonbye
8blankblank

Round 1 – Second Leg

Involved 6 matches (with two “blank” fixture) and 12 clubs. These are the reverse fixture from the first leg

Game No Fixture Date Home Team Score Away Team Venue agg Att Rec Notes Ref
1Sat 14 Sep 1946Belle Vue Rangers11-5Liverpool StanleyBelle Vue Stadium18-5
2Sat 14 Sep 1946Leigh17-4St. HelensMadeley Park31-99,200[2]
3Sat 14 Sep 1946Warrington10-5SalfordWilderspool13-15[3]
4Sat 14 Sep 1946Barrow10-3WidnesCraven Park15-29[4]
5Sat 14 Sep 1946Rochdale Hornets5-32WiganAthletic Grounds9-81[5]
6Sat 14 Sep 1946Oldham19-10Workington TownWatersheddings27-12
7Swintonbye
8blankblank

Round 2 - Quarter Finals - First Leg

Involved 3 matches (with one bye) and 7 clubs

Game No Fixture Date Home Team Score Away Team Venue agg Att Rec Notes Ref
1Tue 24 Sep 1946Oldham20-8LeighWatersheddings
2Wed 25 Sep 1946Swinton6-8WidnesStation Road[4]
3Wed 25 Sep 1946Wigan31-0SalfordCentral Park[5]
4Belle Vue Rangersbye

Round 2 - Quarter Finals – Second Leg

Involved 3 matches (with one bye) and 7 clubs. These are the reverse fixture from the first leg

Game No Fixture Date Home Team Score Away Team Venue agg Att Rec Notes Ref
1Wed 02 Oct 1946Leigh6-11OldhamMadeley Park14-31
2Thu 03 Oct 1946Widnes9-2SwintonNaughton Park17-8[4]
2Wed 02 Oct 1946Salford0-19WiganThe Willows0-50[5]
3Belle Vue Rangersbye

Round 3 – Semi-Finals

Involved 2 matches and 4 clubs

Game No Fixture Date Home Team Score Away Team Venue agg Att Rec Notes Ref
1Tue 15 Oct 1946Oldham7-21WiganWatersheddings[5]
2Wed 16 Oct 1946Belle Vue Rangers5-0WidnesBelle Vue Stadium[4]

Final
Game No Fixture Date Home Team Score Away Team Venue agg Att Rec Notes Ref
Saturday 26 October 1946Wigan9-3Belle Vue RangersStation Road21,648£2,6584[5][6]

Teams and scorers
Wigan № Belle Vue Rangers
teams
Martin Ryan1
Brian Nordgren2
Johnny Lawrenson3
Ernie Ashcroft4
Gordon Ratcliffe5
Ces Mountford6
Tommy Bradshaw7
Ken Gee8
Joe Egan9
George Banks10
Harry Atkinson 11
Billy Blan12
Jack Blan 13
9score3
7HT3
Scorers
Tries
Jack Blan (1)T
Goals
Johnny Lawrenson (3)G
Referee

Scoring - Try = three (3) points - Goal = two (2) points - Drop goal = two (2) points

[5]

The road to success

All the first and second round ties were played on a two leg (home and away) basis.

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

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

First Round Second Round Semi Finals Final
            
Workington Town 12
Oldham 27
Oldham 31
Leigh 14
St. Helens 9
Leigh 31
Oldham 7
Wigan 21
Wigan 81
Rochdale Hornets 9
Wigan 50
Salford 0
Salford 15
Warrington 13
Wigan 9
Belle Vue Rangers 3
Liverpool Stanley 5
Belle Vue Rangers 18
Belle Vue Rangers
bye
blank
blank
Belle Vue Rangers 5
Widnes 0
Widnes 29
Barrow 15
Widnes 8
Swinton 17
Swinton
bye

Notes and comments
  1. The first Lancashire Cup match played by the newly name club
  2. Leigh's belated return to the sport after the war years
  3. The first Lancashire Cup match to be played at Leigh's temporary home
  4. 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

References
  1. "Rugby League Project".
  2. "Saints Heritage Society - History - Season 1896-97".
  3. "Warrington Wolves - Results Archive - 1897". Archived from the original on 2010-07-06.
  4. "Widnes Vikings - History - Season In Review - 1896-97".
  5. "Wigan "Cherry and White" archived results".
  6. Raymond Fletcher and David Howes (1991). Rothmans Rugby League Yearbook 1991-100. Queen Anne Press. ISBN 0 35617852 8.
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