Following their East Anglian sojourn in Round 4, normality was restored with another home draw, this time hosting Rainworth Miners’ Welfare, from the Nottinghamshire Football Alliance, beaten finalists five years earlier.

Town’s team was: Andy Johnston; Paul Benson, Paul Wilson, Barry Lowe, John Bendon; Marty Cummins, Tommy O’Neil, Jimmy Collins, Brian Rigby, Jay McComb and Phil Layhe. Subs: John Deakin and Bryan Griffiths with Dave Collins named as reserve.

Proceedings began with a minute’s silence to mark the passing of Town stalwart, George Fryer, who had been the prime mover in the re-birth of the club in 1946. Town began in great style and, following a foul on Brian Rigby in the penalty area after only 4 minutes, Jimmy Collins scored from the spot. Phil Layhe scored the second on the half hour and it was 2-0 to St. Helens at half-time. Further goals in the last 15 minutes from Layhe and Tommy O’Neil put the result beyond doubt, before the Miners scored a consolation goal to make the final score 4-1.

Scorers: Collins (J), Layhe 2 and O’Neil.

Lady Luck smiled on Town once again in the quarter-finals when Falmouth Town made the long journey to Hoghton Road on 28th February. However, it was far from an easy ride for Town and the unchanged team, with Mark Gledhill deputising for Dave Collins as the reserve, could only draw 1-1 with their Cornish visitors, the tie going to extra time once again. Chris Long headed in for Falmouth after 25 minutes and, after that it was all St. Helens. Coming out for the second half 0-1 down, it took Town less than a minute to level the tie, Phil Layhe scoring again, but despite another 44 minutes of seemingly constant pressure on the visitors’ goal, the home team missed a whole host of chances and extra time was completed in much the same vein.

The Town team was: Johnston, Benson, Wilson, Lowe, Bendon; Cummins, O’Neil, Collins (J), Rigby, McComb and Layhe. Subs: Deakin and Griffiths. Reserve: Gledhill. Scorer: Layhe.

An unwanted 700-mile round trip to Cornwall was undertaken the following week for the Bickland Park replay. The team was, once again, unchanged, with Deakin and Gledhill named on the bench, Bryan Griffiths and Gary Laird travelling as reserves. An overnight stay in Torquay either side of the game broke the journey (the longest made by St. Helens Town in their entire history) and the team were relieved that the Falmouth pitch had passed a referee’s inspection only just before their arrival. Town began in encouraging style and had three chances before Phil Layhe netted from Paul Wilson’s wayward free kick after 30 minutes. The score remained 1-0 until half-time and the second half passed without further scoring, thanks to inspired performances from both goalkeepers. It was a sweet, but long, trek home for Town, with the mouth-watering prospect of a two-legged semi-final with Emley.

The team was: Johnston; Benson, Wilson, Lowe Bendon; Cummins, O’Neil, Collins (J), Rigby, McComb and Layhe. Subs: Deakin and Gledhill. Reserves: Griffiths and Laird. Scorer: Layhe.

Glyn Jones