21 October 1922

FEATHERSTONE’S GRIM FIGHT

A crowd of close upon 10,000 gathered at Featherstone for the tie between the Rovers and Leeds, the holders of the cup. They witnessed a keen clean game in which the superior combination and speed of the Leeds backs proved the deciding factor. The home side greatly missed Hirst, their centre-threequarter who has been selected for the County, and Kirkham their half-back.  Binks returned to the Leeds team at scrum half.

The Featherstone forwards set the pace in the opening stages, and Leeds were forced back to their line, where they had to defend sternly.  Eventually they were penalised for obstruction, and a nicely judged kick by J. Denton gave the home side the lead.  They did not hold this for long, for immediately on resuming the Leeds backs got into action, and the ball was thrown over to Stockwell. There the winger snapped it up, and dodged through the defence to score a try, to which he failed to add the goal points.  Leeds went further ahead two minutes later. A sharp movement by Will Davies baffled the defence, and after Ward had handled the ball, he passed to Trusler, who scored near the posts.  Again Stockwell failed with the kick.  Featherstone's forwards kept the pressure up for the greater part of this half, and their efforts were rewarded when J. Denton followed up a kick by Williams, and scored. The goal-kick failed, and at half-time Leeds led by one point.

In the second half the superiority of the Leeds backs told its tale, and magnificently though Featherstone defended, they could not keep them out. A movement started by Binks sent the ball across the field to Buck, who cross kicked with nice judgment. Ward followed up and scored behind the posts, and Jackson converted. Featherstone rallied, and when Walmsley was penalised for not playing the ball, J. Denton kicked an easy penalty goal.  Then came two really good tries by the Leeds backs which settled the issue. Will Davies scored one after a smart passing bout, and Stockwell scored the other.   Wynard kicked an excellent penalty goal for Featherstone. Williams, the Featherstone half-back, was carried from the field, injured just before the close.

Yorkshire Post 23 October 1923