1976–77 Challenge Cup

The 1976–77 Challenge Cup was the 76th staging of rugby league's oldest knockout competition, the Challenge Cup. The final was contested by Leeds and Widnes at Wembley.

1976–77 Challenge Cup
Duration6 Rounds
Number of teams34
Highest attendance80,871
Broadcast partnersBBC
Winners Leeds
Runners-up Widnes
Lance Todd Trophy Steve Pitchford

Leeds beat Widnes 16-7 at Wembley in front of a crowd of 80,871.[1]

The winner of the Lance Todd Trophy was the Leeds prop, Steve Pitchford.[2]

This was Leeds’ tenth Cup final win in fourteen Final appearances.[3]

First round

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Date Team one Team two Score
11 Feb Beecroft Swinton 2-10
11 Feb Salford Huddersfield 25-2
12 Feb Leeds Batley 40-6
12 Feb Warrington St Helens 12-13
13 Feb Blackpool Bradford Northern 8-38
13 Feb Bramley Widnes 6-11
13 Feb Castleford New Hunslet 27-6
13 Feb Hull FC Doncaster 34-11
13 Feb Hull Kingston Rovers Keighley 20-10
13 Feb Huyton Workington Town 3-10
13 Feb Oldham Dewsbury 8-15
13 Feb Pilkington Recs Wigan 4-10
13 Feb Rochdale Hornets Leigh 23-8
13 Feb Wakefield Trinity Halifax 12-3
13 Feb Whitehaven Featherstone Rovers 5-6
26 Feb York Barrow 9-15

Second round

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Date Team one Team two Score
26 Feb Hull Kingston Rovers Hull FC 12-9
26 Feb Leeds Barrow 21-11
27 Feb Bradford Northern Featherstone Rovers 12-7
27 Feb Dewsbury Wakefield Trinity 3-0
27 Feb Rochdale Hornets Castleford 2-10
27 Feb Widnes Swinton 36-5
27 Feb Wigan St Helens 4-9
27 Feb Workington Town Salford 13-4

Quarter-finals

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Date Team one Team two Score
12 Mar Castleford Hull Kingston Rovers 15-25
13 Mar Dewsbury St Helens 8-11
13 Mar Widnes Bradford Northern 19-5
13 Mar Workington Town Leeds 2-8

Semi-finals

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Date Team one Team two Score
26 Mar St Helens Leeds 2-7
02 Apr Hull Kingston Rovers Widnes 5-14

Final

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7 May 1977
Leeds 16 – 7 Widnes
Try: Atkinson, Dyl, Dick
Goal: Dick (3)
Drop goal: Dick
Report
Try: Aspey
Goal: Dutton (2)
Wembley, London
Attendance: 80,871
Referee: J. V. Moss (Manchester)[4]
Player of the Match: Steve Pitchford
FB 1 Bryan Murrell
RW 2 Alan Smith   77'
RC 3 Neil Hague
LC 4 Les Dyl
LW 5 John Atkinson
SO 6 John Holmes
SH 7 Kevin Dick
PR 8 Mick Harrison
HK 9 David Ward (c)
PR 10 Steve Pitchford
SR 11 Graham Eccles
SR 12 Phil Cookson
LF 13 Stan Fearnley   71'
Substitutions:
IC 14 David Smith   77'
IC 15 Roy Dickinson   71'
Coach:
Syd Hynes
FB 1 Ray Dutton
RW 2 Stuart Wright
RC 3 Mal Aspey
LC 4 David Eckersley
LW 5 Dennis O'Neill
SO 6 Eric Hughes
SH 7 Reg Bowden (c)
PR 8 Bill Ramsey
HK 9 Keith Elwell
PR 10 Jim Mills
SR 11 Alan Dearden   64'
SR 12 Mick Adams
LF 13 Doug Laughton
Substitutions:
IC 14 Mick George
IC 15 John Foran   64'
Coach:
Frank Myler

References

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  1. ^ "RFL Challenge Cup Roll of Honour". Archived from the original on 2009-04-03. Retrieved 2009-08-07.
  2. ^ Raymond Fletcher; David Howes (1995). Rothmans Rugby League Yearbook 1995-1996. London: Headline Book Publishing. p. 199. ISBN 0-7472-7817-2.
  3. ^ "RFL Challenge Cup Roll of Honour". Archived from the original on 2009-04-03. Retrieved 2009-08-07.
  4. ^ Mather, Harold (9 May 1977). "Youth holds the key". The Guardian. London. p. 19.
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