From Gary Cooper's Forgotten Heroes
Abandoned final at Rawmarsh Welfare 2 Bowbroom 1
In the 1951 final, Rawmarsh Welfare were involved in yet another abandoned game.  They had set about defending their title once again and progressed to the final for the third successive season, on this occasion primarily playing their second team with just one or two first teamers to strengthen the side. Their opponents in the final were Bowbroom WMC, a side from the Mexborough and District league who had provided a semi-final upset by comprehensively defeating the unfortunate Denaby Rovers, losing semi-finalists for three consecutive seasons. The game began in torrential rain, and with Rawmarsh being red-hot favourites, they took an expected lead as early as the tenth minute. It was yet another cup final goal from Les Swales that gave Welfare the advantage and they seemed to be on their way to a comfortable victory. However, due to a degree of complacency, the underdogs were allowed to fight back and replied through Hallam before Hartley almost gave Bowbroom the lead when he drove a shot against the Rawmarsh crossbar. With conditions steadily worsening, a mistake from Bowbroom full back Dawson gifted Rawmarsh the lead again when he sliced the sodden ball in attempting a clearance and put through his own goal. Just after half time, with the conditions impossible, the referee was forced to abandon the final for the first time in the history of the competition. The referee, Mr C. Taylor of Conisbrough declared: “I abandoned the game because of the waterlogged condition of the pitch and I was unable to see the marking out lines”.  Although the Rawmarsh team protested, it was to no avail and the final had to be re-played.