Bramley Rugby League’s record points total – and a record still standing today

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cBramley RLFC barley mow plaque

Continuing our series looking at the rich history of the former Bramley Rugby League Club, Paul Abraham looks at record points scored in a game.

The first season in the Northern Union saw Bramley score a 17pts to 3 home victory over Bradford on 16th January 1897.  Forward Watkin leading the way with two tries, with right centre and right winger Ward and Hambrecht also touching down.  Watkin and Ward also kicked one goal apiece.

The total was not surpassed until Hull KR visited Bramley on the 16th March 1901 and failed to score as Bramley scored 23 points.

Parker playing at right centre helped himself to two tries while his wing partner Albert Hambrecht also scored twice with forward Horn scoring the other touchdown.  The soon to be the first £100 transfer history maker stand-off James Lomas added four goals.

Christmas 1902 brought Bramley the gift of a new record points total when they defeated Normanton 26-2.  Albert Hambrecht weighed in with two tries and was followed over the whitewash by fellow try-scorers left-centre JJ Parker, scrum-half Hewitt, stand-off Bateson and left winger Lee, with Lee also kicking three goals and JJ.Parker adding a goal.

The visit by Normanton to the Barley Mow on 16 April 1906 produced a record-breaking match with one record still standing after over 110 years. 

Right centre Joe Sedgewick scoring the first Bramley hat-trick since the club joined the Northern Union on his way to an amazing seven tries.  Other tries came from left centre Farrar and second-row forward Binns with G Clarke kicking five goals and brother H Clarke adding the other two points.

It would be just short of forty years before Bramley scored a higher points total in a match.  The Rugby League Challenge Cup paired Bramley against amateurs Hull Juniors in the first round. 

Having defeated the Juniors on their own ground 29-0 in the first leg with right centre Jack Gibson crossing for three tries, Bramley raised their game a week later and created a club record points total and victory as they became the first Bramley thirteen to get to fifty points in a match. 

Jack Gibson created a new goals and points in a match records as he kicked nine goals and scored two tries to help himself to 24 points while left winger Callaghan scored a hat-trick and full-back Birmingham joining the line to score twice other try-scorers were Ellener, Lloyd, Robinson and Marshall.

The first round of the Yorkshire Cup in September 1974 brought Doncaster to McClaren Field and also a new points record as Bramley hit 52 points.

Scrum-half Barney Ward led the way as he created a new points in a match record as he amassed 28 points through a club record eleven goals in a match and also added two tries for good effect.  Right winger Billy Rowett also scored two tries while the rest of the tries were scored by Hughes, Bollon, T Briggs, D Sampson, Price and B Parker.

The record would stand until October 1988 when Bramley blitzed Dewsbury by 62 points to 14. Right-centre Hobbs helped himself to a hat-trick of tries as did left-winger Lewis while the other six tries were shared between Edmondson, Dyl, Carroll (who also kicked seven goals), Durham, Lister and Illingworth.

After losing their first five matches of the 1995-96 season, nobody could have predicted  what would happen when Chorley arrived at Clarence Field, Kirkstall in September as Bramley ran up a record victory of 74-0.

Damien Pickles led the way with five tries, followed by Wayne Freeman with two and the other try-scorers in the romp being Blankley, Long, Francis, G Hall, Minter and Stead.

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