The 1942–43 Yorkshire Cup was the thirty-fifth occasion on which the Yorkshire Cup competition was held.
It was a knock-out competition between (mainly professional) rugby league clubs from the county of Yorkshire. The actual area was at times increased to encompass other teams from outside the county such as Newcastle, Mansfield, Coventry, and even London (in the form of Acton & Willesden. The competition always took place early in the season, in the autumn, with the final taking place in (or just before) December. The only exception to this was when disruption of the fixture list was caused during, and immediately after, the two world wars.
The Second World War was continuing and the Yorkshire Cup was played in the early part of the 1942–43 Northern Rugby Football League Wartime Emergency League season.
Dewsbury won the trophy by beating Huddersfield over two legs by an aggregate score of 7–2.
Dewsbury played the first leg match at home (at Crown Flatt) and won 7–0. The attendance was 11,000 and receipts were £680.
Huddersfield were at home (at Fartown) for the second leg match and duly won 2–0. The attendance at the second leg match was 6,252 and receipts £618.
Change in club participation
Hull Kingston Rovers dropped out of the wartime Lancashire league after the first (1939–40) season. They did not return to league competition until 1945–46 peacetime season.
Bramley withdrew after the third wartime season (1941–42) had finished and did not rejoin until the 1945–46 season.
Castleford withdrew after the third wartime season (1941–42) had finished and did not participate for two seasons, re-joining for the 1944–45 season.
Hunslet withdrew after the third wartime season (1941–42) had finished and did not participate for this season, re-joining for the next 1943–44 season.
Wigan entered the Yorkshire Cup competition for the third successive season
Oldham also entered the Yorkshire Cup competition and for the third successive season
St. Helens also entered the Yorkshire Cup competition and for their first season.
Dewsbury had a relatively successful time during the war years. Managed by Eddie Waring, and with the side boosted by the inclusion of a number of big-name guest players, the club won the Wartime Emergency League in 1941–42 and again the following season 1942–43 (though that championship was declared null and void when it was discovered they had used an ineligible player). They were also runners-up in the Championship in 1943–44, Challenge Cup winners in 1943 and Yorkshire Cup final appearances in this season 1940–41 and winners in 1942–43.
Background
This season there were no junior/amateur clubs taking part. Bramley, Castleford and Hunslet withdrew, and St. Helens joined. With the continued presence of the two Lancashire clubs, Wigan and Oldham, this resulted in the number of entrants decreasing by two, to a total of fourteen.
This in turn resulted in two byes in the first round.
For the second successive year, all the ties (this season including the actual final) were played on a two-legged home and away basis.
Competition and results
Round 1 – first leg Round 1's first leg involved six matches (with two byes) and 14 clubs.
All first round ties were played on a two-legged home and away basis.
Game no.Fixture dateHome teamScoreAway teamVenueAggAttRecNotesRef1Sat 17 Oct 1942Batley6–2Wakefield TrinityMount Pleasant2Sat 17 Oct 1942Featherstone Rovers0–0HullPost Office Road3Sat 17 Oct 1942Halifax3–0OldhamThrum Hall4Sat 17 Oct 1942Keighley0–21HuddersfieldLawkholme Lane5Sat 17 Oct 1942Leeds15–7DewsburyHeadingley6Sat 17 Oct 1942York5–4Bradford NorthernClarence Street7Wiganbye8St. Helensbye
Round 1 – second leg Round 1's second leg involved six matches (with two byes) and 14 clubs.
All first round ties were played on a two-legged home and away basis.
Game no.Fixture dateHome team ScoreAway teamVenueAggAttRecNotesRef1Sat 24 Oct 1942Wakefield Trinity7–13BatleyBelle Vue9–192Sat 24 Oct 1942Hull8–0Featherstone RoversBoulevard8–03Sat 24 Oct 1942Oldham3–9HalifaxWatersheddings3–124Sat 24 Oct 1942Huddersfield33–5KeighleyFartown54–55Sat 24 Oct 1942Dewsbury18–5LeedsCrown Flatt25–206Sat 24 Oct 1942Bradford Northern5–2YorkOdsal9–77Wiganbye8St. Helensbye
Round 2 – quarterfinals – first leg Round 2's quarterfinals' first leg involved four matches and eight clubs.
All second round ties were played on a two-legged home and away basis.
Game no.Fixture dateHome team ScoreAway teamVenueAggAttRecNotesRef1Sat 24 Oct 1942St. Helens21–8WiganKnowsley Road2Sat 31 Oct 1942Batley5–10HuddersfieldMount Pleasant3Sat 31 Oct 1942Halifax7–10Bradford NorthernThrum Hall4Sat 31 Oct 1942Hull12–10DewsburyBoulevard
Round 2 – second leg Round 2's second leg involved four matches and eight clubs.
All second round ties were played on a two-legged home and away basis.
Game no.Fixture dateHome teamScoreAway teamVenueAggAttRecNotesRef1Sat 07 Nov 1942Wigan32–11St. HelensCentral Park40–322Sat 07 Nov 1942Huddersfield36–3BatleyFartown39–163Sat 07 Nov 1942Bradford Northern6–5HalifaxOdsal16–124Sat 07 Nov 1942Dewsbury23–7HullCrown Flatt33–19
Round 3 – semifinals – first leg Round 3's semifinals' first leg involved two matches and four clubs.
Both semifinal ties were played on a two-legged home and away basis.
Game no.Fixture dateHome teamScoreAway teamVenueAggAttRecNotesRef1Sat 14 Nov 1942Dewsbury11–3WiganCrown Flatt2Sat 14 Nov 1942Huddersfield6–0Bradford NorthernFartown
Semifinal – second leg The semifinal's second leg involved two matches and four clubs.
Both semifinal ties were played on a two-legged home and away basis.
Game no.Fixture dateHome teamScoreAway teamVenueAggAttRecNotesRef1Sat 21 Nov 1942Wigan0–6DewsburyCentral Park3–172Sat 21 Nov 1942Bradford Northern4–11HuddersfieldOdsal4–17
Final – first leg The final was played on a two-legged home and away basis this season.
Game no.Fixture dateHome teamScore Away teamVenueAggAttRecNotesRefSaturday 28 November 1942Dewsbury7–0HuddersfieldCrown Flatt11000680
DewsburyNo.Huddersfield Teams George Bunter1Billy BelshawRoy Francis2Ossie PeakeCyril Morrell3Alex FiddesJimmy Robinson4Russ PepperellAlan Edwards5Randall LewisTom Kenny6Tommy BartramHarry Royal7John McGurkHarry Hammond8Pat McManusGeorge Curran9Dave CottonJackie Gardner10Tommy TaylorGeorge Kershaw11Frank WagstaffFrank Smith Sr.12Douglas BoothCharlie Seeling Jr.13Alex GivvonsEddie WaringCoach?? 7Score0HT Scorers Tries TTTTTTT Goals GGG Drop goals DGDGDGRefereeunknown
Final – second leg The final was played on a two-legged home and away basis this season.
Game no.Fixture dateHome team Score Away teamVenueAggAttRecNotesRefSaturday 5 December 1942Huddersfield2–0DewsburyFartown Ground
DewsburyNo.Huddersfield Teams George Bunter1Billy BelshawBarney Hudson2Ossie PeakeAlan Edwards3Alex FiddesJimmy Robinson4Bill DaviesRoy Francis5Randall LewisTom Kenny6Stan PepperellHarry Royal7John McGurkHarry Hammond8Douglas BoothGeorge Curran9Dave CottonJackie Gardner10Tommy TaylorGeorge Kershaw11William ChapmanFrank Smith Sr.12Frank WagstaffCharlie Seeling Jr.13Alex GivvonsEddie WaringCoach?? 0Score2HT Scorers Goals GBill Davies (1)Refereeunknown () Scoring - Try = three (3) points - Goal = two (2) points - Drop goal = two (2) points
The road to success All the ties (including the final itself) were played on a two-leg (home and away) basis.
The first club named in each of the ties played the first leg at home.
The scores shown are the aggregate score over the two legs.
See also 1942–43 Northern Rugby Football League Wartime Emergency League season Rugby league county cups
Notes
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