1985–86 Challenge Cup

The 1985–86 Challenge Cup was the 85th staging of rugby league's oldest knockout competition, the Challenge Cup. Known as the Silk Cut Challenge Cup for sponsorship reasons,. The Preliminary, 1st and 2nd rounds. and Quarter-finals was hit by the Winter of 1985-86 in Great Britain and Ireland with the preliminary round ties not being completed until 31 January and the 1st Round not being completed until 26 February and the first round had a major upset in the form of 2nd Division Doncaster knocking out 1st Division Salford winning 18-12 at home however only 842 spectators were there to see it and only 2 2nd Round ties being played on 23 February with 1 1st Round tie being played the day before on 22 February in front of the BBC Grandstand cameras the other 2 being played on 24 and 26 February and the remaining 2nd Round ties being played between 8–12 March 1986 (including a replay). This meant that the Quarter-finals were not played until 16 March 1986 (with a replay on 19 March 1986) with no television coverage this led to the Last 16, Quarter-finals and the Semi-finals being played on consecutive weekends for the first time in the Challenge Cup's 89-year history. The final on 3 May 1986 was contested by Castleford and Hull Kingston Rovers at Wembley. Castleford won the match 15–14.

1985–86 Silk Cut Challenge Cup
Duration6 Rounds
Number of teams36
Highest attendance32,485 Hull KR v Leeds Semi-final Replay
Lowest attendance422 Blackpool v Runcorn 1st Round
Broadcast partnersBBC
Winners Castleford
Runners-up Hull Kingston Rovers
Biggest home win62-11 Warrington v Sheffield Eagles 1st Round
Biggest away win60-6 Hunslet v Castleford 1st Round
Lance Todd Trophy Bob Beardmore

Preliminary round

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Tie no Date Home team Score Away team Attendance
1 26 January 1986 Hunslet 20–8 Kells 1,200
2 29 January 1986 Hull 38–10 Dudley Hill 2,590
3 30 January 1986 Swinton 8–30 Leeds 1,348
4 31 January 1986 Carlisle 20–14 Mansfield Marksman 482

First round

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Tie no Date Home team Score Away team Attendance
1 8 February 1986 Hull Kingston Rovers 22–6 Hull 8,770
2 9 February 1986 Blackpool Borough 30–10 Runcorn Highfield 422
3 9 February 1986 Doncaster 18–12 Salford 842
4 9 February 1986 Featherstone Rovers 14–18 Widnes 2,378
5 9 February 1986 Halifax 4–24 Leeds 7,422
6 9 February 1986 Huddersfield 4–10 Rochdale Hornets 913
7 9 February 1986 Hunslet 6–60 Castleford 2,358
8 9 February 1986 Keighley 2–24 Leigh 1,968
9 9 February 1986 Oldham 56–10 Carlisle 2,785
10 9 February 1986 Warrington 62–11 Sheffield Eagles 2,347
11 9 February 1986 Workington Town 12–56 Wigan 6,346
12 9 February 1986 York 18–6 Whitehaven 2,339
13 16 February 1986 Bramley 8–6 Batley 1,050
14 22 February 1986 Bradford Northern 10–8 Wakefield Trinity 2,649
15 24 February 1986 Dewsbury 19–22 St. Helens 1,948
16 26 February 1986 Fulham 4–17 Barrow 1,220

Second round

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Tie no Date Home team Score Away team Attendance
1 23 February 1986 Doncaster 10–28 Leeds 7,636
2 23 February 1986 Widnes 36–20 Rochdale Hornets 3,706
3 8 March 1986 Wigan 24–14 St. Helens 18,553
4 9 March 1986 Barrow 6–30 Castleford 3,613
5 9 March 1986 Bradford Northern 20–20 Bramley 3,037
Replay 12 March 1986 Bramley 2–36 Bradford Northern 3,014
6 9 March 1986 Leigh 31–10 Blackpool Borough 3,241
7 9 March 1986 Oldham 13–6 Warrington 6,526
8 9 March 1986 York 6–34 Hull Kingston Rovers 5,694

Third round

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Tie no Date Home team Score Away team Attendance
1 16 March 1986 Hull Kingston Rovers 25–10 Leigh 7,928
2 16 March 1986 Oldham 6–1 Bradford Northern 6,962
3 16 March 1986 Widnes 10–10 Leeds 8,141
Replay 19 March 1986 Leeds 5–0 Widnes 15,710
4 16 March 1986 Wigan 2–10 Castleford 18,503

Semi-final

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22 March 1986
Castleford 18 – 7 Oldham
Try: Beardmore (2), Marchant
Goal: Ketteridge (3)
Report
Try: Liddiard
Goal: Hobbs
Drop goal: Ashton
Central Park, Wigan
Attendance: 12,430
29 March 1986
Leeds 24 – 24 Hull Kingston Rovers
Try: Currie (2), Creasser, Medley
Goal: Creasser (3)
Drop goal: Lyons, Webb
Report
Try: Laws (2), Smith (2)
Goal: Dorahy (4)
Elland Road, Leeds
Attendance: 23,866

Replay

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3 April 1986
Hull Kingston Rovers 17 – 0 Leeds
Try: Johnston, Kelly, Lydiat
Goal: Dorahy (2)
Drop goal: Harkin
Report
Elland Road, Leeds
Attendance: 32,485

Final

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3 May 1986
Castleford 15 – 14 Hull Kingston Rovers
Try: Beardmore, Marchant, Sandy
Goal: Ketteridge
Drop goal: Beardmore
Report
Try: Prohm (2), Lydiat
Goal: Dorahy
Wembley, London
Attendance: 82,134
Referee: R. Whitfield (Widnes)[1]
Player of the Match: Bob Beardmore
FB 1 Gary Lord
RW 2 David Plange
RC 3 Tony Marchant
LC 4 Gary Hyde
LW 5 Jamie Sandy
SO 6 John Joyner (c)
SH 7 Bob Beardmore
PR 8 Kevin Ward
HK 9 Kevin Beardmore
PR 10 Barry Johnson
SR 11 Keith England
SR 12 Martin Ketteridge
LF 13 Ian French
Substitutions:
IC 14 David Roockley
IC 15 Stuart Horton
Coach:
Mal Reilly
FB 1 George Fairbairn
RW 2 Garry Clark
RC 3 Mike Smith
LC 4 Gary Prohm
LW 5 David Laws
SO 6 John Dorahy
SH 7 Paul Harkin
PR 8 Peter Johnston
HK 9 David Watkinson (c)
PR 10 Asuquo Ema
SR 11 Andy Kelly
SR 12 Des Harrison
LF 13 Gavin Miller
Substitutions:
IC 14 Gordon Smith
IC 15 John Lydiat
Coach:
Roger Millward

References

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  1. ^ Fitzpatrick, Paul (5 May 1986). "Justice seen to be done". The Guardian. London. p. 15. ProQuest 186606608.
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