# 1973–74 Challenge Cup

The 1973–74 Challenge Cup was the 73rd staging of rugby league's oldest knockout competition, the Challenge Cup.
The final was contested by Warrington and Featherstone Rovers at Wembley.
Warrington beat Featherstone Rovers 24-9 at Wembley in front of a crowd of 77,400.
The winner of the Lance Todd Trophy was the Warrington fullback, Derek Whitehead.
Warrington defeated Huddersfield, Huyton, Wigan and Dewsbury to get to the final against Featherstone Rovers.
This was Warrington’s fourth Cup final win in ten Final appearances.
Warrington's full-back Derek Whitehead won the Lance Todd Trophy for man-of-the-match.

## First round

| Date | Team one | Team two | Score |
| 02 Feb | Barrow | Featherstone Rovers | 3-11 |
| 02 Feb | Lock Lane | Wigan | 9-37 |
| 02 Feb | Workington Town | York | 14-4 |
| 03 Feb | Batley | Leeds | 7-18 |
| 03 Feb | Castleford | Bradford Northern | 4-15 |
| 03 Feb | Dewsbury | New Hunslet | 13-4 |
| 03 Feb | Hull FC | Hull Kingston Rovers | 2-13 |
| 03 Feb | Huyton | Doncaster | 16-2 |
| 03 Feb | Leigh | Kippax White Swan | 63-7 |
| 03 Feb | Rochdale Hornets | Halifax | 13-6 |
| 03 Feb | St Helens | Keighley | 27-5 |
| 03 Feb | Salford | Oldham | 26-12 |
| 03 Feb | Swinton | Blackpool | 19-8 |
| 03 Feb | Warrington | Huddersfield | 34-4 |
| 03 Feb | Whitehaven | Bramley | 5-8 |
| 03 Feb | Widnes | Wakefield Trinity | 27-7 |

## Second round

| Date | Team one | Team two | Score |
| 23 Feb | Leeds | Salford | 10-6 |
| 24 Feb | Leigh | Widnes | 11-7 |
| 24 Feb | Rochdale Hornets | Wigan | 8-25 |
| 24 Feb | St Helens | Bramley | 10-5 |
| 24 Feb | Swinton | Bradford Northern | 10-19 |
| 24 Feb | Warrington | Huyton | 21-6 |
| 24 Feb | Workington Town | Dewsbury | 4-14 |
| 26 Feb | Hull Kingston Rovers | Featherstone Rovers | 9-12 |

## Quarter-finals

| Date | Team one | Team two | Score |
| 10 Mar | Bradford Northern | Featherstone Rovers | 0-5 |
| 10 Mar | Dewsbury | Leeds | 9-2 |
| 10 Mar | Leigh | St Helens | 11-5 |
| 10 Mar | Wigan | Warrington | 6-10 |

## Semi-finals

| Date | Team one | Team two | Score |
| 23 Mar | Warrington | Dewsbury | 17-7 |
| 30 Mar | Featherstone Rovers | Leigh | 21-14 |

## Final

* 11 May 1974
| Warrington | 24 – 9 | Featherstone Rovers |
| Try: Ashcroft, Nicholas Goal: Whitehead (7) Drop goal: Murphy (2) | Report | Try: Newlove Goal: Box (3) |
* Wembley, London Attendance: 77,400 Referee: S. Shepherd (Oldham) Player of the Match: Derek Whitehead
| 1 | Derek Whitehead |
| 2 | Mike Philbin |
| 3 | Derek Noonan |
| 4 | Alan Whittle |
| 5 | John Bevan |
| 6 | Alex Murphy (c) |
| 7 | Parry Gordon |
| 8 | David Chisnall |
| 9 | Kevin Ashcroft |
| 10 | Bobby Wanbon |
| 11 | Mike Nicholas |
| 12 | Dave Wright |
| 13 | Barry Philbin |
| Substitutes: |
| 14 | Billy Pickup |
| 15 | Brian Brady |
| Coach: |
| Alex Murphy |
| 1 | Harold Box |
| 2 | Dave Dyas |
| 3 | Michael Smith |
| 4 | Dave Hartley |
| 5 | Graham Bray |
| 6 | John Newlove (c) |
| 7 | Steve Nash |
| 8 | Les Tonks |
| 9 | John Keith Bridges |
| 10 | Billy Harris |
| 11 | Alan Rhodes |
| 12 | Jimmy Thompson |
| 13 | Keith Bell |
| Substitutes: |
| 14 | David Busfield |
| 15 | Charlie Stone |
| Coach: |
| Peter Fox |