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The 1920s

11/ 6/2003

Hornets in cup surprise

ROCHDALE Hornets gained a shock 10-9 victory over Hull in one of the best Northern Union Cup finals ever.

The Yorkshiremen had won the league for the last two years and were hot favourites to win the cup in front of a record 35,000 crowd at Headingley, Leeds, on 29 April 1922.

But the entire Hornets team performed heroics to bring the cup to Rochdale for the first time.

Hornets captain Jack Bennett was always confident that his team would win and after the match he said: "It was a great game. Hull played fine football but I think we were just the better team.

The forwards were outstanding with Joe Corsi and Edwards playing like supermen. Hull's Welsh international forward Edgar Morgan paid tribute to the 'Terrible Six' by saying: "The Hornets forwards are the finest pack I've ever played against."

Hull drew first blood when Kennedy touched down after charging down a Heaton kick. Hornets took the lead with two Paddon penalties and then really turned the screw as Fitton scored the first try after being put through by Louis Corsi.

Hull cut the deficit to one point before half-time with a hotly-disputed try from Batten. Hornets players felt he was in touch before he scored in the corner.

The second half was full of thrilling attacks but Hornets landed the killer blow 17 minutes from the end when quick passing from Kynan and Wild sent Fitton clear to score in the corner.

Taylor cut the deficit to one point again as he crashed over for Hull's third try. But Stone failed with what would have been the winning kick at goal.

Key events - 1920 to 1929:

1920 - Agricultural show revived at Rochdale Football Club's Spotland ground and attracts 10,000 spectators; Rochdale branch of the Sinn Fein movement was formed; Fund started for children in famine-struck parts of Europe.
1921 - Rochdale Football Club joins professional football league In Division Three (North) section; Rochdale sees an eclipse of the sun; Lord Derby distributed war medals won by members of the Rochdale Territorial battalion; The Bishop of Manchester dedicated the new King's Colour of the 2/6th battalion.
1922 - Communists raided the Observer office and broke a plate glass window, their leader was bound over for 12 months; The Pioneers Society closed the Central Library in Toad Lane; Nearly 10,000 people attend a 'no more war' demonstration at Rochdale Town Hall.
1923 - King George V passed through Rochdale on his way to Goldsborough in Yorkshire; Five Rochdale mill girls who drew Tranquil in the Armley Liberal Club St Leger sweepstake won £1,200; Archbishop of York, Dr Lang, preaches at the Parish Church; Prime Minister David Lloyd George addresses meeting in Rochdale Town Hall; Outbreak of foot and mouth disease leads to big slaughter of cattle.
1924 - Public hangman John Ellis retires after 23 years in the post; Two survived after being entombed for 15 hours in Littleborough pit; Hollingworth Lake frozen over for first time in many years.
1925 - Hamer Lane Bridge tested and opened for traffic; Co-operative Society's strike, Pioneers affected but not the Provident Society; Champness Hall opened with a series of successful meetings and services; Opening of John Bright Memorial Room at the art gallery.
1926 - Rotary Club formed in Rochdale; Lord Derby laid the foundation stone of Masonic Temple, Richard Street; Memorial Cross, erected in Rochdale Cemetery by the Imperial War Graves Commission, unveiled and dedicated.
1927 - Former MP A J Law receives knighthood; Observer moves to new offices and printing works; Row erupts over proposal to start greyhound racing in the town.
1928 - Emily Watson elected first lady president of the infirmary; Automatic telephone system brought into operation in Rochdale; Gracie Fields appears at opening of Rialto Cinema.
1929 - Lady Astor MP speaks at meetings at Rialto Cinema and Territorial Drill Hall; Politician Stanley Baldwin addressed 15,000 people at meeting in Town Hall Square, Rochdale.