A printing error is seen on this photo, the game took place on the Friarage in Moor Terrace and not “West Hartlepool” as stated.

The game itself was staged against the background that Durham had not defeated Yorkshire for 15 years despite some close games and hope were high that Durham would do it but a second half penalty ensured the Tykes a win by 13 pts to 7pts.  The scorers are even closer when it is considered the scoring system in those days when a try was 3 pts and if converted 5, but if unconverted a try resulted in just 2 points being awarded.   Both sides scored two tries, Durham failing to convert one so ended up with 7 pts., Yorkshire converted both and added a penalty for their 13 pts. It was to be another 7 years before Durham achieved a win.

That later win came only after the split on 1895 when Rugby Union and Rugby League went their own ways with disastrous effects on Yorkshire; indeed Yorkshire in 1892 had drawn the side at Hartlepool from 11 clubs of which 5 were to join the original Rugby League in 1895 and more were to follow.

Such was the fervent interest in Rugby in Hartlepool at the time that the Press estimated the crowd for the game was estimated at between 10 and 12,000. In addition, the North-Eastern Railway Company laid on excursions from Hull, Bradford, Leeds, York, Saltburn, Spennymoor and South Shields.

The crowd could have been more but some of those travelling by train were to be disappointed as the Newcastle excursion arrived in time for travellers to see only 10 minutes of the match, those from Leeds 15 minutes  Even the reporter for the Newcastle Daily Leader missed the first quarter as his train was 25 minutes late.

There was a sad footnote to this game, the Newcastle reporter added to his report that Matthew Devine, the West Hartlepool and Durham County full back that day was set upon in Lynn Street, West Hartlepool, late on the Saturday night and so badly injured that he had to go to Hartlepool Hospital, where he was expected to remain for some weeks.  The County record has Matthew Devine down as playing only once for Durham, it is to be wondered whether this injury ruined his career, it is a fact that in 1906 West Hpool played a "Past v Present" game in aid of Mr Devine and his large family which may also be part of the story.

 There is also another interesting post script to this match, in the back row middle is a Tudhoe player, John Duffy – another spelling error his name is John Duff – and in front of him and to his right is Fred Alderson the Rovers centre.

 Fred Alderson wrote the County Committee to the effect that he would never again play in the same team as John Duff who had knocked him out in the previous season’s cup-final. If Durham selected this Tudhoe forward then they must leave him- Alderson - out. Likewise he gave Rovers the same ultimatum, consequently when Tudhoe insisted on playing Duff in their final side the following spring; Rovers withdrew and gave the Spennymoor club a “walk-over” and they held the Senior Cup!

John Duff later played for Birkenhead Wanderers before turning out for West Hartlepool, returning to Tudhoe he eventually signed for Hull K R in the Northern Union alongside fellow Tudhoe players, Lindsay and Gordon. 

Date (of image) : 12/11/1892

Donor : Hartlepool Library Service

Creator : unknown

Part of the "Hartlepool Library Service" collection