A quiet day in the history of the club today…..
Cup ties…..
The 1957 Yorkshire Cup brought York to Parkside with a place in the semi-final at stake. Hunslet got off to a flyer, going 10 points in front with tries from wingers Ronnie Colin and Alan Snowden converted by Arthur Talbot. A York penalty and Talbot drop goal maintained the lead. York got a try before half-time but Snowden got his second for Hunslet yet again to go 10 points up. From this point the York forwards took control, A try and two goals brought York to within three points and after Jim Stockdill was caught off-side the penalty reduced that to one. A Talbot penalty and a try for York levelled things up with 15 minutes remaining. Talbot tried a drop which was charged down before Jackson took York to the semis with his late drop goal.
In 1968’s Yorkshire Cup unbeaten Castleford had come to Parkside, again in the Quarter-final. In difficult times for Hunslet, they had perhaps over achieved to register a 5-5 draw. Tonight it was the replay at Wheldon Road. Hunslet drew first blood when Robin Hurl got a third minute try but Cas made sure there would be no repeat of the previous match as they built up a 33-10 lead in the second half. A late rally by Hunslet brought eight points but they were well beaten by the skill and speed of a Castleford orchestrated by Alan Hardisty.
Going forward 20 years, the Yorkshire Cup paired Hunslet away with Hull. The Hull Daily Mail compared Hull’s display as similar to the recent Hurricane Gilbert which had left a trail of destruction in the Caribbean as Hull’s own hurricane wreaked havoc on the Hunslet defence. Hull scored nine tries to win the tie by 53-0.
In 2005 there was a change in competition with an Elimination Play-off match away at Swinton Lions but unfortunately no change in result as Hunslet went down 28-40.
On the representative front the Aussies were on tour in 1963 and today was their fixture with Yorkshire at Hull KR. There is no match report in the Newspaper Archive but the selectors were well satisfied with the Yorkshire team, selecting the same 13 for the next match against Lancashire following their 11-5 victory. Fred Ward was Hunslet’s participant in the match.
One notable debut today was that of Colin Larkin at Keighley. He had signed on from Hunslet Intermediates in the March for £50 which grew by £750 as he achieved the club’s contractual milestones. Harry Jepson’s ledger tells us he emigrated to Australia in June 1970 after making 145 appearances scoring 9 tries. Hunslet held on to his registration until 1973, I’m guessing in case he returned home.
