Darwen v Horwich RMI Lancashire Junior Cup Final 1930

Preperations for the 1930 Lancashire Junior Cup-Final final against Horwich RMI did not go well, for on the 21st December 1929 they slumped to a 6-0 league defeat away at Manchester Central and had to play most of the second half with 10 men losing Paddy Quigley with a injury. Then their home game against Atherton was abandoned because of bad weather after Darwen had raced into a 2-0 lead against the wind!
Furthermore, Darwen were drawn against Horwich RMI in the 3rd round of the Lancashire Combination cup --- as well! That game was played at the Anchor ground on the 2nd January and Darwen won 2-1 both goals coming from Shaw, the deciding strike coming as a second half penalty.
Darwen fans might have expected that victory to boost their teams confidence for the big final that was again played at Deepdale, unfortunately that was not to be the case and the day before the match the news that George Shaw would probably miss the big game through a knee injury.
That meant that from the previous seasons cup final team, ( 1929 ) only Mulkeen, Jenkinson, Slater, Williamson, Quigley and Robinson remained.
The weather conditions for the final were not good and there was a thin carpet of snow on the Deepdale pitch, coming in for George Shaw was -- Harry Brogden -- a former Oxford Blue - to play up front.
The Darwen team for the final was : Williamson, Jenkinson, Quigley, Mulkeen, Dawson, Slater, Robinson, Prest, Brogden, Clemmett, and Wilson.
As the game got underway on the 9th January 1930, the Darwen team appeared to be showing signs of nerves. Horwich RMI had much the less of play but the Samoners were unable to take advantage in a goaless first half. In the end Horwich won the game 2-0 but most observers felt that this was mostly down to deficiences of the Darwen side rather than then any superiority on the Horwich RMI 's part
The local press report went : " Darwen had much the better of the play throughout the contest but a fine goalkeeper and two snap goals gave Horwich the cup"
Two days later the young rising star of the Salmoners side --- Tommy Prest --- a local lad was sold to Burnley for £600. He had actually been sold to Burnley some weeks before but a clause in his contract allowed him to play for the Salmoners until after the final!

Final score : Darwen 0 Horwich RMI 2