The 1981–82 Lancashire Cup (known as the Forshaws Lancashire Cup for sponsorship reasons) was the 69th staging of the rugby league knockout competition, the Lancashire Cup.
Leigh won the trophy with an 8–3 win against Widnes.
Background This season saw the introduction of two new non-Lancashire clubs, Carlisle and Fulham, increasing the number of clubs in the competition from 14 to 16, meaning there was no longer a need for any teams to receive byes in the first round.
In his column for the Manchester Evening News, Warrington player Ken Kelly was especially critical of the addition of London-based Fulham, arguing it made a mockery of the competition.
Competition and results First round The first round involved eight matches and 16 clubs. Carlisle's match against Wigan was the club's first ever competitive fixture.
Game no.Fixture dateHome teamScoreAway teamVenueAttRef114 August 1981Oldham7–17SalfordWatersheddings2915216 August 1981Barrow15–7WarringtonCraven Park3197316 August 1981Blackpool Borough0–28St HelensBorough Park2239416 August 1981Carlisle6–9WiganBrunton Park2779516 August 1981Fulham32–15SwintonCraven Cottage3207616 August 1981Leigh37–2WhitehavenHilton Park3915716 August 1981Rochdale Hornets8–14WidnesAthletic Grounds1054816 August 1981Workington Town35–2HuytonDerwent Park1417
Second round The second round involved four matches and eight clubs.
Game no.Fixture dateHome teamScoreAway teamVenueAttRef123 August 1981Leigh32–17Workington TownHilton Park4283223 August 1981St. Helens40–17BarrowKnowsley Road4303323 August 1981Salford19–3FulhamThe Willows3462423 August 1981Wigan11–26WidnesCentral Park6711
Semifinals The semifinals involved two matches and four clubs.
Game no.Fixture dateHome teamScoreAway teamVenueAttRef12 September 1981Leigh20–6St. HelensHilton Park819622 September 1981Widnes33–2SalfordNaughton Park5849
Final The final was played at Central Park, Wigan. The attendance was 9,011 and receipts were £14,029. This was Leigh's first Lancashire Cup since the 1970–71 season.
Game no.Fixture dateHome teamScoreAway teamVenueAttRef26 September 1981Leigh8–3WidnesCentral Park9011
Teams and scorers
LeighNo.WidnesMick Hogan1Mick BurkeDes Drummond2Mick GeorgeTerry Bilsbury3Eric HughesSteve Donlan4Eddie CunninghamGraham Worgan5Keith BentleyJohn Woods6Dave MoranKen Green7Andy GregoryAlf Wilkinson8Mike O'NeillRay Tabern9Keith ElwellTony Cooke10Brian LockwoodThomas Martyn11Les GorleyGeoffrey Clarkson12Eric PrescottMick McTigue13Mick Adams??14x Billy Platt (for Thomas Martyn)15 8Score35HT0 Scorers Tries Terry Bilsbury (1)TKeith Bentley (1) Goals John Woods (2)G Drop goals Steve Donlan (1)DGRefereeW H (Billy) Thompson (Huddersfield)Man of the matchRay Tabern - Leigh - Sponsored byBurtonwood BreweryCompetition sponsorForshaws (Burtonwood Brewery Co Ltd) Scoring - Try = three points - Goal = two points - Drop goal = one point
The road to success
See also 1981–82 Rugby Football League season Rugby league county cups
Notes
References
External links