1909-1910
1910!! This was the? Cup Year?, the year which brought reward for all the toll of the twenty which had gone before.
The league record, too, was greatly improved with the team finishing in sixth place, but the story of this season is truly the story of that first great cup achievement.
The team had been considerably strengthened in the months before the Cup Register closed through the acquisition of several talented players: . H. F. Rowe, winger, who had toured this country as a member of the? All Blacks? team in 1907; Jimmy Sanders, scrum half, from Pill Harriers, who made his debut in the Leeds jersey at the age of eighteen, and who was to give many brilliant displays during his seven seasons at Headingley; Fred Barron, winger, and William Biggs, forward, from Hull Kingston Rovers, the latter being re-transferred to Leeds after spending two seasons at Craven Street; H. Topham, forward, from Oldham.
Other new players who assisted in the league matches, but did not take part in the Cup Competition were: T. Clint, winger; R. Hailes, forward; W. Andrews, forward; J. W. Duckworth, winger; H. Thurlow, forward; L. Marshall, winger; and T. Wagstaff, forward. The 1st Round of the Cup called for a visit to Craven Street, and an extremely dour match resulted. Leeds who were not at full strength, with Rowe deputising for the injured Goldthorpe in the centre, held a lead of two points to nil at the interval. Within two minutes of the re-start, Silcock scored an unconverted try and the Rovers took the lead. Leeds, however, replied almost immediately Barron scoring a try in the corner as the result of a clever kick by Ware, who was playing at stand-off. Now leading by 5 points to 3, the Leeds defence did not waver in the face of a desperate rally by the home team, and there was no further score.
Leeds had a much harder task than they had bargained for in disposing of Rochdale Hornets at Headingley in the 2nd Round. Shortly after half-time it was ?anybody?s game? with Leeds leading by only 5 points to 3. The Hornets then looked like pulling the game out of the fire, but a bad blunder by their full back Farrar resulted in a gift try to Gillie, and that proved to be the turning point of the game. In a keenly fought 3rd Round game, at Keighley, Leeds gained a narrow victory and thus won a place in the Semi-Final of the N.U. Cup Competition for the first time. This was largely a one-man triumph, and that one man was? Bucket? Young, who time and again saved his side when the three-quarters in front of him had apparently thrown up the sponge. His display was generously recognised by the Leeds supporters, and on the return to Leeds he was chaired from the railway station into the street. At the interval the score stood at four points each, Young having kicked two goals, one of them being from a ?drop?. Keighley pressed strongly in the second half and would surely have scored had it not been for the brilliant tackling of Young. Excitement was intense as the score still stood at four points each. Then with only ten minutes remaining for play, Young put in a long clearing kick to establish Leeds on the Keighley line. Craven, the Keighley scrum half, attempted to force his way through the scrum. He lost the ball, and Jarman, quickly snapping it up, had a clear run in for the winning try.
Warrington and Leeds clashed at Wheater?s Field, Manchester, in the Semi-Final. At half-time Leeds, with a lead of eight points, looked easy winners but Warrington played with far greater determination after the interval and almost ?pipped? Leeds on the post. The last fifteen minutes were as tense and dramatic as anything ever seen on a rugby field as Warrington, losing by 10 points to 11, pressed again and again in one last desperate fling. Scrummage after scrummage was formed on the Leeds line, but the courageous Warrington attacks were more than matched by a magnificent Leeds defence. The teams were; Leeds-Young; Barron, Gillie, Goldthorpe, Fawcett; Ware, Sanders; Webster, Harrison, Jarman, Ward, Topham, Whitaker. Warrington-Tilley; Mcintyre, Dickenson, Taylor, Stuntz; Jenkins, lloyd; Thomas, O?Neill, Shugars, Naylor, Boardman, Belton.
The Cup Final match with Hull at Fartown commenced fifty minutes after the scheduled time owing to the late arrival of the teams who were held up by a breakdown in the railway arrangements between Leeds and Huddersfield. Heavy rain in the early part of the afternoon had affected the ground and conditions were thus against open football. Leeds went into the lead after two minutes through a penalty goal kicked by Young, but shortly afterwards Hull equalised when Wallace dropped a brilliant goal. This seemed to have a tonic effect on the Hull players who now combined brilliantly, and Cottrell romped over for a try when he gathered a clever cross-field kick from Wallace. Rogers converted from a difficult angle, and Leeds were up against it. Then came further tragedy. Sanders was severely injured fifteen minutes before the interval and was compelled to retire. Although there was no further score before half-time, it looked odds against a Leeds victory, particularly as Sanders was unable to take any further part in the match. But the gallant Leeds ?twelve? set about the task with tremendous courage and determination, and their efforts were rewarded through a try scored by Goldthorpe following good work by Fawcett. The attempt at conversion narrowly failed, but Hull showed signs of panic as Leeds now crowded on full sail. Fifteen minutes from the end Anderson forfeited a penalty for off-side, and Young?s sure foot made no mistake. With the scores now level, at seven points each, intense excitement reigned: Devereux, the Hull centre, who had scored twice for the Australians at Headingley fifteen months earlier, almost put Rogers in for a try, but the winger was adjudged to have knocked down the flag before touching down; Young made two unsuccessful attempts to drop a goal; and then in the very last minute Leeds were awarded a penalty for obstruction on Ware, but Young?s attempt at a long range kick, which could have won the game for Leeds fell just below the bar. The teams were: Leeds-Young; Fawcett, Goldthorpe, Gillie, Barron; Ware, Sanders; Biggs, Jarman, Harrison, Topham, Webster, Ward. Hull-W. H. Taylor; Cottrell, Devereux, Morton, Rogers; Wallace, Anderson; Herridge, Osborne, R. Taylor, Connell, Holder. Walton.
The story of the replay is given in the following press report:
NORTHERN UNION CUP FINAL THE TROPHY WON BY LEEDS-A RECORD SCORE
A representative Challenge Cup Competition has at last been won by the Leeds Club. In the replayed final at Huddersfield yesterday they defeated Hull, who thus for the third consecutive year have disappointed their public and themselves by failure in the last stage of this annual tournament. Leeds have had to wait a long time for their success, but now that it has come the victory has been won under record circumstances. The draw which they made on Saturday was the first registered since the institution of the tournament in 1897; and the score, 26 points to 12, is unique also in the records of the competition. Broughton Rangers scored 25 points in the final in 1902, and 20 points have been reached in no previous final. If it is any consolation to the Hull Club, the fact may be added that no team have previously scored 12 points irr a final tie and been the losing side.
Yesterday?s replayed match was favoured with more agreeable conditions than those which prevailed on Saturday, for the afternoon was fine and warm, and the turf drier and much faster than at the previous contest. It was not to be expected that the? gate? would reach Saturday?s dimensions; still, there was a fine attendance for a Monday, the number of persons present being 11,600, and the receipts ?657 6s. 6d. The sum of, roughly speaking, ?1,700 has, therefore, come into the Northern Union?s exchequer from the two engagements.
Traces of the severity with which Saturday?s match was fought were forthcoming in the absence of two of the Hull players and one Leeds man from the competing teams. Taylor, the Hull back, and Anderson, their half-back and captain, both were present, but were too lame even to walk in comfort. Their places were taken by E. Rogers and Greg. Rogers, the first-named playing at full back and his brother at half. E. Rogers played at left wing threequarter in Saturday?s match and Atkinson, the former Castleford Rugby Union player, now officiated in that position. Sanders, who has suffered severely from an injury he received in the first game-the necessity of an operation is feared-was deputised for at half back by Fawcett, and Rowe was included in the threequarter line. There was also a change in the forwards, Whitaker taking the place of Biggs. This contest did not pass without mishap, for late in the game Greg. Rogers found that a weak knee had given way, whilst almost in the last moment Fawcett sustained a broken collar bone.
In sympathising with Hull in their third consecutive failure, the point must be emphasised that they missed their chances of winning the Cup in the first half hour of Saturday?S engagement. They ought to have scored more points when the conditions favoured them. Today the luck did not go their way, and as often happens bad luck was accompanied by bad play. The winning of the toss was of greater moment than it was on Saturday, for the reason that the wind was much stronger and the ground faster. This time the toss fell to the Leeds captain, and while it might be too much to say that his success in this respect won his team the match, it is an undoubted fact that it very considerably aided Leeds in their victory. Then Hull suffered very much from the shuffling of positions. Especially was this the case at full back, where E. Rogers made mistakes of which Taylor would hardly have been guilty, though it is but fair to Rogers to say that his natural position is not that of custodian. Anderson was much missed at half-back also, not only for the lack of his own nippy efforts, but for the effect which he has upon the play of his partner, Wallace. In the second half Hull brought Connell out as an extra flying half in which capacity he did useful work, though it is a matter of opinion whether this quite compensated for the weakening of the pack.
While it was the Leeds forwards whose play had given the club the title of Cup-holders, the one man who has to be mentioned above all others in the victory is Young. He began by placing a goal from a penalty one of the Hull men most stupidly gave away under his own posts. Then he dropped a goal from a bad error of judgement on the part of .E. Rogers, who kicked the ball to him in the open field. Afterwards he placed five goals, making his afternoon s crop Into seven. He succeeded in every attempt at goal he made, a feat so unusual as to give point to the remark that fortune on this occasion ran the way of the Leeds team. The Leeds backs as a whole were for some time diffident in opening out the game, but Young?s first two goals gave them confidence, and their subsequent scores were obtained by football which was open and good. At half-time they had a score on the board of 16 points to nil, but useful though this was, it was not until 10 points more had been obtained in the second half that the Leeds men could feel absolutely sure of success. With the wind Hull obtained 12 points, and these provided some solace for their heavy defeat. Heavy though the scoring was, the match could not be called a great one, for the keenness overshadowed the better points of the football. Still, there was no doubt that the better side won, and that the victory was due to the gameness and endurance which commanded the admiration of all who can admire those qualities in the football arena.
Description of the play.
The advantage of winning the toss meant much to Leeds, and right from the outset they proceeded to make the most of the strong breeze which blew in their favour. Tall kicking put them in an attacking position right from the start, and E. Rogers had to .. mark? near his own line. His kick brought little relief, and another touch kick by Young was followed by a scrummage, from which Fawcett got the ball and made a wild attempt to drop a goal. The game had only been in progress five minutes when Leeds took the lead in a very similar fashion to the way in which they opened their score on Saturday. Someone on the Hull side played off-side right under the posts, and from the penalty which was awarded Young placed the easiest of goals. Leeds kept up the attack after this promising opening, and scarcely allowed the Hull defenders breathing-time. Certainly Hull were not allowed to find an opening, although on one occasion they looked like becoming dangerous when Rowe effectually tackled Cottrell. A rush by Herridge was repulsed by Barron, and, when the latter kicked, Wallace mis-fielded and let in Webster. The Leeds captain made a bold attempt to score, but lost the ball, and another Leeds forward who went over the line was penalised for being off-side.
A splendid position had been gained however, and try as they would Hull could not obtain relief. When twenty minutes had gone E. Rogers was so pressed that he had to run behind his own goal, from which position he kicked out to Young, who very deliberately and cleverly dropped a fine goal. Leeds again attacked on resuming, and a series of scrummages were hotly contested near the Hull line. In the end a sharp pass to Rowe led to a score, for though that player himself was tackled by Cottrell, Webster was at hand to pick up the ball, and with one of his characteristic dashes he went over for a try, which was converted with a brilliant kick by Young. With a nine points lead Leeds were for a time irresistible, and came desperately near scoring again. That was when Devereux misfielded and let in Barron, who, however, was beaten by the ball in his race over the line. But the Headingley brigade, had the satisfaction of scoring another rather? soft? try when Wallace had a kick charged over his own line by Topham, who was himset the scorer, Young again adding the goal points. Another success came Leeds way just before the interval, when Gillie made a mark, from which Young added another well-judged goal; so that at half time Leeds led by 16 points to nil.
The Second Half.
With the change of ends, Hull were expected to reverse the order of play, but in this they failed signally. On the contrary, they fell back before the well-sustained efforts of the Leeds forwards, and confounded all expectations by suffering still further reverses. Five minutes after the resumption they practically gave up the ghost when Leeds added another five points. It was W. Goldthorpe who started the movement which led to the score by engaging in a dribble, in which he was joined by Webster and two other forwards. E. Rogers failed to check the rush, and Goldthorpe picked up and registered a try, for Young to kick a goal against the wind. Hardly had the game re-started when a fine effort by Ware put Hull still further in arrears. Ware ran well down the touch-line side, and passed over his shoulder to Gillie, who in turn transferred to Rowe, the defence being completely beaten by the movement. As a matter of fact, Rowe was able to run round behind the posts, and Young had no difficulty in adding the goal. This was all the scoring done by Leeds, and when the Headingley men relaxed their efforts, Hull took on the running, , and with three scores in the last twenty minutes made the result seem less of a rout than it otherwise would have done.
The East Riding team, it should be said, played during the last twenty minutes with only twelve men, G. Rogers having retired owing to knee trouble. Connell had for some time previously been playing in the three-quarter line, but with Rogers? retirement he came a little further forward, and acted as a sort of flying half. The arrangement seemed to serve well for Hull were able to keep up a fairly persistent attack, which was at length rewarded by a goal, kicked by E. Rogers, when Leeds were penalised for off-side. Then Walton scored a good try after passing had taken place between Wallace and Cottrell, and Rogers? goaled?. A further try was credited to Connell, who literally scrambled over the line, Rogers again adding the goal. Leeds made a rush to the Hull end on resuming, and in some scrambling play Fawcett was injured, and it was subsequently found that he had sustained a broken collarbone.
The game ends in Confusion
Almost immediately afterwards the game ended in some confusion, owing to the unseemly conduct of one of two spectators. All was practically over, of course, by this time, and the more enthusiastic of the crowd had vaulted the rails, and closed in on to the ground. So it came about that when the referee had occasion to caution two of the players he had to do so whilst standing within a couple of yards from the spectators. One of the crowd so lost control of himself that he made a rush at the referee, but was checked by Mr. Kennedy, the touch judge. He turned upon the latter, but was pushed aside by Topham, the Leeds forward. Others of the spectators, however, became embroiled, and the police had to rush to the spot. Probably they would have quelled the bother, which was confined to but a few individuals, but the referee blew his whistle and signalled the finish of the match, the scores then reading-Leeds 7 goals, 4 tries (26 points). Hull 3 goals, 2 tries (12 points). Teams-Leeds ? Young, back; Rowe, Gillie, Goldthorpe, Barron, three-quarter backs; Ware and Fawcett, half-backs; Webster, Harrison, Topham, Ward, Jarman, Whitaker, forwards. Hull-E. Rogers, back; Cottrell, Devereux, Morton, Atkinson, three-quarter backs; Wallace, G. Rogers, half-backs; Herridge, Connell, Holder, Taylor, Walton, Osborne, forwards.
Referee: Mr. J. Priestley, Salford. Touch judges, Messrs, F. Farrer, Keighley and J. Kennedy, Broughton.