14th November….
On a foggy night in 1976 at Craven Park Hull Peter Muscroft became New Hunslet’s international representative in the Great Britain Under-24s match against France. Great Britain’s forwards laid the platform for an easy win by 19-2 against an outclassed France and immediately after the game Peter had a trip to France to look forward to as the same team was announced for the return. Also playing in the match was former Hunslet favourite Jimmy Crampton who was picked out in the match report for his shining example in the GB pack’s defensive effort.
1914’s Yorkshire Cup semi-final took Hunslet to Fartown. An injury to half-back Charles Fearn who left the field after 15 minutes with a broken collar bone didn’t help Hunslet’s cause. Badly beaten in the scrums and no match against Huddersfield’s speedier backs Hunslet were routed by 64-3 as the Fartowners progressed to the final and the first of their four cups as they emulated Hunslet’s 1907-08 feat.
The season after Hunslet won their four cups they continued their cup exploits by reaching the 1908 Yorkshire Cup semi-final with a match against Dewsbury at Parkside. The visitors dominated the early stages and Hunslet were lucky to only concede a penalty goal. Albert Goldthorpe levelled matters to make it all square at half-time. The “Terrible Six got into their stride in the second-half but were thwarted by the Dewsbury defence until centre Billy Hoyle made a beak and passed to the sprinting half-back Frank Whittaker who darted past the full-back to score. Albert converted. The Hunslet forwards later made another successful rush and fed Whittaker who released Hoyle and his pass allowed Freddie Farrar to force his way over in the corner, too far out for the conversion. This was enough to take them into another final 10-3.
Struggling Hunslet’s 1971 foray into the first John Player No 6 Trophy competition pitched them against league leaders “Classy” Cas at Parkside. The game was going true to form early in the second-half as Castleford were leading 7-2. David Marshall landed a further penalty as Cas’s many attacks couldn’t beat Hunslet’s superb defence and centre George Clark’s 40 yard run through the Castleford backs and his inch perfect kick to the line saw winger Barry Lee touch down to level matters. The conversion was missed and both sides missed with drop goals attempts but Hunslet provided the shock of the round and earned themselves a replay at Wheldon Road.
In the same competition in 1993, although now known as the Regal Trophy, Hunslet travelled up to Workington but there would be no heroics this time as they were soundly beaten 16-58.
15th November….
John Player time again in 1987 with a second round match at second division Batley. Newly promoted Hunslet were up against former coach Paul Daley and he made sure his team did not give their visitors an easy afternoon. In a ding-dong game Batley took a 10-4 lead but Hunslet turned that into a 16-10 lead by half-time. Despite a penalty to Batley Hunslet had a lead to cling on to but seven minutes from time Batley scored a converted try to go back in front. In the last minute a long pass over the Batley defence put Alan Platt in but the referee disallowed it for a forward pass. It was Batley’s first cup-tie victory since 1975.
Following last week’s 1941 Yorkshire Cup first leg tie against Lancastrians Wigan, Hunslet travelled to Central Park hoping to make up the 5 point defecit from the first leg. In the first 5 minutes a Jack Walkington drop goal had reduced the gap to 3 points but this was wiped out by a Wigan penalty. Hunslet pushed Wigan hard in the second half and again narrowed the gap with a Billy Thompson penalty but two late Wigan tries took them through 18-7 on aggreagate. In the semi-final Wigan were up against Halifax who won the tie 13-10 on aggregate to ensure the White Rose cup did not find a new home over the border.
16th November….
In the Atlantic Cup in 2010 Jamaica played the USA today in Jacksonville, Florida Waine Pryce was on duty for Jamaica as they lost 26-36.
And further back in time to 1892 the Goldthorpe brothers Albert and Walter found themselves in the Yorkshire side against Glamorgan at Huddersfield and Albert kicked a goal in a 5-5 draw.
