1965 and Hunslet had beaten Oldham, Hull and Leeds to reach today’s Challenge Cup semi-final against Wakefield Trinity at Headingley. Hunslet’s team was made up of nine locals, three other Tykes and a Welshman. Geoff Gunney was the only survivor from the last semi-final in this competition in 1955. Wakefield were definitely the favourites, but in 1946 it was the other way round and Trinity had won to go to Wembley so a chance at retribution. Hunslet played the game with “no airs and graces, no heady flights of fancy” and “if Wembley had to reached at the expense of entertainment” then so be it. Wakefield were described as “dreadful” with Neil Fox having “one of the worst games of his career” and Harold Poynton unable to keep his feet. Without these two their attack stuttered. Hunslet’s first try was a touch lucky and came 12 minutes from the end, a stray Fred Ward pass bouncing into Alan Preece’s hands for him to score. From the kick off Hunslet then held the ball for 33 tackles only interrupted by a Billy Langton penalty to touch which Bernard Prior heeled and ended when John Griffiths went over in the corner. A last minute Langton penalty completed the scoring and Hunslet were at Wembley for the first time since 1934.
At the 1925 league game at Hull Kingston Rovers, referee Arthur Brown was delayed thirty minutes by a late taxi and the game was started by Frank Renton (a referee from Hunslet and agreed with HKR). Johnny Coulson scored Hunslet first try from what the Rovers players thought was a knock-on but Mr Renton overruled them and Hunslet went on to win 9-7.
Among the debuts today are current player Liam Carr in 2022, David Close in 1994 and William Pearson in 1914.
Liam made his bow at Rochdale Hornets and has played 16 games to date including the Play-off final last season.
Having previously played for Sheffield Eagles, David made his first appearance today at Batley and went on to play 72 games (18 tries, 71 goals and 12 drop goals).
William Pearson signed from Broughton Moor (Cumberland) just before WW1. He played 62 official games and a further 3 in the war. He represented Cumberland in 1919 before transferring to Leeds.
Representatives today were Geoff Gunney in 1957 at St Helens playing for Great Britain in a 29-14 win over France. In 1935 Harry Beverley was playing for England against Wales at Stanley Greyhound Stadium, Liverpool , England winning 24-11 and in 1937 he was with England against France at Halifax in a 23-9 win. In the 1935 England game, George Todd was also playing.
In 1983 Kevin Olbison scored 4 tries to equal the record set three years earlier by Steve Lane. Two other match records today were a 68-14 home win over Warrington, a record which stood until 1983 and a 14-66 home loss to Widnes in 1988.
Two seasons came to end today. 1925/26 ended with a 20th place finish out of 27 (14 wins and 22 losses). Johnny Couslon was top with 17 tries and Walter Guerin with 41 goals and 103 points and a similar finish in 1969/70, 23rd out of 30 (13 wins and 1 draw). Top tries was Barry Lee with ten and Dave Marshall kicked 75 goals (162 points).
