1965–66 Challenge Cup

The 1965–66 Challenge Cup was the 65th staging of rugby league's oldest knockout competition, the Challenge Cup.[1]

1965–66 Challenge Cup
Duration5 rounds
Number of teams32
Highest attendance98,536
Broadcast partnersBBC TV
Winners St Helens
Runners-up Wigan
Lance Todd Trophy Len Killeen

The final was contested by St Helens and Wigan at Wembley Stadium in London.

The final was played on Saturday 21 May 1966, where St Helens beat Wigan 21–2 in front of a crowd of 98,536.[2]

The Lance Todd Trophy was awarded to St Helens winger Len Killeen, who also kicked an exceptionally long goal from well inside his own half.

First round

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Date Team one Team two Score
25 Feb Widnes Brookhouse 23-5
26 Feb Barrow Crosfield Recs 11-2
26 Feb Batley Huddersfield 4-4
26 Feb Blackpool Borough Workington Town 2-16
26 Feb Bradford Northern Doncaster 23-2
26 Feb Bramley Hull Kingston Rovers 5-5
26 Feb Featherstone Rovers Rochdale Hornets 22-6
26 Feb Hull Salford 11-2
26 Feb Hunslet Whitehaven 7-9
26 Feb Keighley Dewsbury 4-5
26 Feb Leeds York 17-4
26 Feb Leigh Liverpool City 15-6
26 Feb Swinton Oldham 18-5
26 Feb Wakefield Trinity St Helens 0-10
26 Feb Warrington Castleford 15-7
26 Feb Wigan Halifax 8-4
01 Mar - replay Huddersfield Batley 23-5
01 Mar - replay Hull Kingston Rovers Bramley 7-2

Second round

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Date Team one Team two Score
19 Mar Leeds Hull 22-12
19 Mar Featherstone Rovers Warrington 14-15
19 Mar Wigan Whitehaven 40-6
19 Mar Widnes Bradford Northern 6-7
19 Mar Huddersfield Leigh 8-0
19 Mar Workington Town Hull Kingston Rovers 5-7
19 Mar Dewsbury Barrow 23-15
19 Mar St Helens Swinton 16-4

Quarter-finals

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Date Team one Team two Score
04 Apr St Helens Hull Kingston Rovers 12-10
05 Apr Dewsbury Huddersfield 8-2
06 Apr Bradford Northern Wigan 6-15
06 Apr Warrington Leeds 2-2
15 Apr Leeds Warrington 8-0

Semi-finals

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Date Team one Team two Score
16 Apr St Helens Dewsbury 12-5
23 Apr Wigan Leeds 7-2

Final

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21 May 1966
St Helens 21 – 2 Wigan
Try: Bishop, Killeen, Mantle
Goal: Killeen (5), Mantle
Report
Goal: Gilfedder
Wembley Stadium, London
Attendance: 98,536
Referee: H. G. Hunt (Warrington)[3]
Player of the Match: Len Killeen
FB 1 Frank Barrow
RW 2 Tom van Vollenhoven
RC 3 Alex Murphy
LC 4 Billy Benyon
LW 5 Len Killeen
SO 6 Peter Harvey
SH 7 Tommy Bishop
PR 8 Albert Halsall
HK 9 Bill Sayer
PR 10 Cliff Watson
SR 11 Ray French
SR 12 John Warlow
LF 13 John Mantle
Substitutes (not used):
IC 14 Tony Barrow
IC 15 Jeff Hitchen
Coach:
Joe Coan
FB 1 Ray Ashby
RW 2 Billy Boston
RC 3 David Stephens
LC 4 Eric Ashton (c)
LW 5 Trevor Lake
SO 6 Cliff Hill
SH 7 Frank Parr
PR 8 Danny Gardiner
HK 9 Tom Woosey
PR 10 Brian McTigue
SR 11 Tony Stephens
SR 12 Laurie Gilfedder
LF 13 Harry Major
Substitutes (not used):
IC 14 ?
IC 15 ?
Player-coach:
Eric Ashton

Crowd listed in some sources as 100,000 for Final.

References

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  1. ^ "Challenge Cup 1965/66". Rugby League Project.
  2. ^ "RFL Challenge Cup Roll of Honour". Archived from the original on 3 April 2009. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
  3. ^ "21st May 1966: St Helens 21 Wigan 2 (Challenge Cup Final)". www.cherryandwhite.co.uk. RLFANS.COM. Retrieved 22 August 2017.
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