Results: 1885/6 - 1894/5
Note on scoring
A point scoring system was only adopted by the Rugby Football Union on 4 October 1886. For all games up to and including this date games were determined by the number of goals scored (i.e. the same as soccer). In the even that goals were equal, the team scoring the most tries was declared the winner.
In recording the score below, up to and including 4 October 1886 goals are show as the main score, with tries in parenthesis. Thus in Warrington's first recorded game against Penketh, the score is shown as "0-1 (0-1)", meaning Warrington lost the game by a goal to nil; Penketh also scored a try, with Warrington failing to manage this, a fact that is irrelevant in determining the result of the game. I have decided to include the details of tries scored for all games, rather than only those where goals were level and this was therefore actually necessary in determining the outcome of the game on account of the fact that with the evolution of the scoring system tries became more important, so it provides better comparability with later scores.
After 4 October 1886 the score represents the number of points scored by each team, using whatever the relevant scoring system was at the time (the value of tries and the various different types of goals has changed over time). Although 'minor' scores (where a team forced an opponent to touch the ball down behind their own goal line for example) are recorded in contemporary match reports they have never been part of the scoring system officially in place, so I have ignored these (the only exception being noted below).
A further point of note applies to the South West Lancashire & Border Towns Challenge Cup / South West Lancashire League which used a very different scoring system to the one initially adopted by the Rugby Football Union (generally tries and goals were worth much higher values, and also minor scores were worth a single point); this was also in place in the inaugural competition in 1885/6 prior to the nationwide adoption of a scoring system.
1885/6
* - match abandoned, following Runcorn player's withdrawal from the game. Replay ordered.
1886/7
* - in the Warrington club secretary's annual report both the Llanelly & Pen-y-graig matches are recorded as draws, despite the scores indicating otherwise. Due to frost, grounds were hard during Warrington's tour of South Wales (indeed, the scheduled match at Penarth on 12/01/1891 did not take place for this reason). Warrington claim they agreed to play the Llanelly match due to spectators being in attendance on the proviso that the result was recorded as a draw regardless of the score. Letters to local newspapers from Llanelly's secretary & captain dispute the existence of such an arrangement, & thus claimed the victory; on balance I have therefore recorded the result as a defeat for Warrington. I have found no detail in reports of the Pen-y-graig match of any such arrangement, but presume Warrington believed a similar agreement was reached. Some local reports refer to the game being drawn, as no tries were scored, whilst Lancashire based reports record this as a 1-0 victory for Warrington, on the basis they scored a try; in this instance I have recorded the result as a victory for Warrington.
1891/2
* - match expunged from league records following Wigan's suspension for professionalism