Wigan 36-14 Warrington — 1989/90 Challenge Cup Final

Wembley Stadium, London · Attendance: 77,729

Data last verified: 11 August 2026.

1989/90 Challenge Cup Final: Wigan 36-14 Warrington, at Wembley Stadium, London.

Sourcing caveat: The exact individual split of Warrington's two goals between Paul Bishop and Paul Darbyshire is not confirmed; try/goal minutes not documented in sources checked. Full lineups, benches and coaches for both sides were subsequently confirmed via Rugby League Project.

Scorers

WiganTries: Mark Preston (2 tries); Kevin Iro (2 tries); Denis Betts; Ellery Hanley
Goals: Joe Lydon (6 goals)
WarringtonTries: Mike Gregory; David Lyon
Goals: Paul Bishop and Paul Darbyshire (2 goals combined, exact individual split not confirmed)

Teams

WiganWarrington
1Steve HampsonFullbackDavid Lyon1
2Joe LydonWingDes Drummond2
3Kevin IroCentreGary Mercer3
4Dean BellCentrePaul Darbyshire4
5Mark PrestonWingMark Forster5
6Shaun EdwardsFive-eighthMartin Crompton6
7Andy GregoryHalfbackPaul Bishop7
8Adrian ShelfordFront rowTony Burke8
9Martin DermottHookerDuane Mann9
10Andy PlattFront rowNeil Harmon10
11Denis BettsSecond rowRobert Jackson11
12Andy GoodwaySecond rowGary Sanderson12
13Ellery HanleyLockMike Gregory13
Substitutes
14Ian GildartBilly McGinty14
15Bobbie GouldingMark Thomas15
John MonieCoachBrian Johnson

Match officials

RefereeJohn Holdsworth (Kippax)
Lance Todd TrophyAndy Gregory (Wigan) — Lance Todd Trophy, his second win

Match report

Played on 28 April 1990, this was Wigan's third consecutive Wembley triumph. Wigan ran in six tries — two apiece from Mark Preston and Kevin Iro plus scores from Denis Betts and captain Ellery Hanley — with Joe Lydon among the points with 6 goals, to beat Warrington 36-14. There was a poignant subplot: both Warrington try-scorers, Mike Gregory and David Lyon, were former Wigan players who would go on to take up coaching roles at their old club. Wigan had reached the final by beating St Helens 20-14 in the semi-final, and scrum-half Andy Gregory (no relation to Mike) was named man of the match, winning his second Lance Todd Trophy. For much of the competition's early history the final rotated around northern club and representative grounds such as Headingley, Fartown, Central Park and the Athletic Ground, Rochdale, before Wembley Stadium became the final's permanent home from 1928/29 onward (with a short break during Wembley's 2000-2007 reconstruction, when finals were staged at Murrayfield, Twickenham and the Millennium Stadium instead). Since 1946/47, the competition's individual award, the Lance Todd Trophy, has been presented to the final's outstanding player, voted for by a panel of media representatives at the final whistle — on several notable occasions the trophy has gone to a player on the losing side, an unusual honour that reflects the award's focus on individual performance rather than simply reflecting the final scoreline. This was the 89th Challenge Cup final played, and, under the name “Wigan,” the 11th Challenge Cup title for the club.

Round by round

Preliminary Round

ResultVenueAttendanceDate
Batley 45–2 Thatto Heath CrusadersKnowsley Road—1990-01-12
Fulham 23–16 DoncasterPolytechnic Of Central London Stadium8981990-01-14
Bradford Northern 24–8 LeedsHeadingley141521990-01-14
Oldham 30–8 HuddersfieldThe Watersheddings45931990-01-14
St Helens 39–12 CastlefordKnowsley Road86621990-01-14

Qualifying Round

ResultVenueAttendanceDate
Bisons 4–0 MillomDevonshire Road—1990-01-13

Round 1

ResultVenueAttendanceDate
Warrington 20–12 Featherstone RoversWilderspool34351990-01-27
Sheffield Eagles 22–12 BarrowCraven Park (Barrow)—1990-01-28
St Helens 22–14 BramleyMcLaren Field27101990-01-28
Fulham 14–14 Ryedale-YorkPolytechnic Of Central London Stadium8561990-01-28
Hull 46–0 HalifaxThe Boulevard75741990-01-28
Wigan 6–4 Hull Kingston RoversCraven Park (Hull)84731990-01-28
Dewsbury 32–2 Nottingham CityHarvey Hadden Stadium5291990-01-28
Oldham 30–8 Workington TownThe Watersheddings37101990-01-28
Bradford Northern 22–12 Runcorn HighfieldHoghton Road—1990-01-28
Salford 56–6 BisonsThe Willows19351990-01-28
Swinton 10–10 Wakefield TrinityStation Road33301990-01-28
Trafford Borough 14–7 HunsletSpringfield Park3791990-01-28
Whitehaven 23–22 LeighRecreation Ground (Whitehaven)15281990-01-28
Widnes 26–10 BatleyNaughton Park58011990-01-28
Keighley 12–6 ChorleyVictory Park5521990-01-30
Rochdale Hornets 38–6 CarlisleSpotland Stadium16091990-01-30
Fulham 16–12 Ryedale-YorkWigginton Road20591990-01-31
Wakefield Trinity 32–4 SwintonBelle Vue (Wakefield)—1990-01-31

Round 2

ResultVenueAttendanceDate
St Helens 24–12 HullThe Boulevard80661990-02-10
Bradford Northern 20–2 FulhamPolytechnic Of Central London Stadium16851990-02-11
Oldham 18–7 SalfordThe Willows64721990-02-11
Wakefield Trinity 27–12 Sheffield EaglesBelle Vue (Wakefield)53591990-02-11
Warrington 20–11 Trafford BoroughWilderspool34481990-02-11
Whitehaven 46–10 KeighleyRecreation Ground (Whitehaven)16531990-02-11
Widnes 22–16 Rochdale HornetsNaughton Park69561990-02-11
Wigan 30–6 DewsburyCentral Park111131990-02-11

Round 3

ResultVenueAttendanceDate
Wigan 26–14 Wakefield TrinityBelle Vue (Wakefield)80331990-02-24
Warrington 12–10 Bradford NorthernOdsal Stadium91141990-02-25
St Helens 44–10 WhitehavenKnowsley Road92531990-02-25
Oldham 16–4 WidnesNaughton Park118021990-02-25

Semi-Finals

ResultVenueAttendanceDate
Wigan 20–14 St HelensOld Trafford264891990-03-10
Warrington 10–6 OldhamCentral Park156311990-03-31

Final

ResultVenueAttendanceDate
Wigan 36–14 WarringtonWembley Stadium777291990-04-28

Early rounds feature amateur and community clubs alongside professional ones; team names are linked only where this site has a team page for that exact club, matching the same safety-first approach used for the Final's own results table.

Sources

← All Challenge Cup Finals