Another home draw for Leeds in the CC.

The laws of probability don't seem to apply to them.

As does Leigh-HKR. Wouldn't be too upset to see the lower league underdog win this.

Leeds also drew Doncaster in the CC in the same season 1985/86 of the Dewsbury game alluded to above, except on that occasion, Leeds were actually drawn away to Doncaster at Tattersfield.

However, the game was switched to Headingley for reasons which I cannot recall. Could have been weather concerns therefore Headingley's undersoil heating was taken advantage of. It also could have been Doncaster's decision (with some encouragement from Leeds of course) in order to profit from a larger attendance.

Leeds played in seven CC fixtures that season (against Swinton, Halifax, Doncaster, Widnes and Hull KR) and still didn't make it to Wembley. Drawn in the Preliminary Round, plus a couple of replays after draws against Widnes and Hull KR.

That'd be the year we lost the semi replay to Hull KR, would it not?

Indeed.

You beat me to my edit

It was that game that drew me back to RL, I went to the replay that we lost at Elland Rd & I've been hooked ever since.

drew with with widnes as well, pretty convinced we would have won the first semi if it had gone to extra time. we were well beat in the replay. my first trip to elland road.

That was the game being discussed but I now realize it wasn't Leeds last visit to the old Crown Flatt as they were back there again a couple of weeks later for a Yorkshire Cup tie. This time it was another Leeds winger's debut - Friday night hero Stormin Norman Francis. Routine result this time 2-48 away win fir Leeds.

It was moved due to the state of Tattersfield. It really was a quagmire back then. It was the the flood plain of the River Don. I remember one year playing in an amateur final on it, after it had been under water for weeks, there were strange marsh grasses growing out of it all over.
Back to the game, Dons were actually winning, maybe even at half time but my memory is too sketchy. I do remember the great Kevin Parkhouse crashing over in the corner of the West Stand & North stand.

The answer was all of the above.
1 - weather. Headingley was almost single handedly saving that CC round. The Leeds - Doncaster game went ahead on the Sunday, the day before Bradford played their tie V Wakefield at the ground, then on Monday it hosted Dewsbury V St Helens. Leeds themselves were back out there on Thursday V Salford for a League fixture. Even Bradford City V Millwall was pencilled in for the Wednesday at one point.

2 - financial inducement. Although originally turned down, Doncaster finally accepted the £2,500 on offer from Leeds and were rewarded with a share of the £14,407 gate receipts from the 7,268 that attended.

That's alarmingly correct.

Doncaster were up 4-10 at the break and Leeds didn't get into the lead until the hour mark when a lucky rebounded kick collected by Roy Powell allowed Cliff Lyons to send David Creasser over. Cliffie then took control to see Leeds home but all the glory went to Doncaster.

That rings a bell, yes.

Leeds were expected to demolish Donny that day but had a reality check instead.

Do you remember Don Robson and the late and great Tony Banham from a decade earlier?

Banham was later landlord of the late and great Fforde Grene boozer IIRC.

What a long and winding Cup year that was for Leeds - 7 ties and still no appearance at Wembley

Swinton (prelim) 30-8
Halifax (a) 24-4 (great win in a year in which Halifax won the title)
Doncaster (away tie but switched to home, 28-10)
Widnes (a) 10-10
Widnes (H, replay) 5-0
HKR (Ell. Rd) 24-24
HKR (replay Ell.Rd) 0-17