TOWN left for a three-match tour of Sweden with the West Riding Senior Cup safely back in the trophy cabinet.

Frank Worthington scored to sink his hometown club Halifax in front of 8,219 in the Monday night final at Leeds Road.

Ian Greaves’ side, who were preparing to take part in the Anglo-Italian Cup, had captured the senior county trophy the previous September, when they won 3-1 at The Shay in the belated final of the 1969-70 competition.

Both sides had enjoyed encouraging campaigns, with Town finishing 15th in the top flight and Halifax, under George Kirby, narrowly missing out on promotion from Division III.

They had ended up third on 56 points, above Aston Villa but behind promoted pair Preston (61) and Fulham (60).

Keeper Alex Smith, defender John Pickering, former Town midfielder Bob Wallace and strikers Bill Atkins and Dave Lennard were among the Shay mainstays.

Town, for whom Jimmy Nicholson played before joining up with Northern Ireland for the Home Internationals, were without injured trio Jimmy McGill, pictured (groin), Steve Smith (shin) and Geoff Hutt (shoulder).

Greaves picked Mick Barry, Bobby Hoy and Alan Jones as their replacements.

Barry and Jimmy Lawson were the bright lights as Town dictated the first half after going ahead seven minutes in.

Jeff Lee’s handball gave Town a free-kick which Nicholson floated in for Worthington to glance in a header.

That was the platform for a string of Town attacks, with Lawson twice coming close, first after a mazy run – his shot was blocked by Pickering – and then with a header from a Worthington cross which grazed the bar.

It was a different story after the break, however, as Halifax hit back.

Dave Chadwick, who had played alongside Lawson at Middlesbrough, was the dangerman, looping a header just over then shooting wide.

Dave Verity fired narrowly too high, then Lennard went close with a late header.

Town assembled to fly out to Sweden the following day without McGill, Hutt and Nicholson but with Terry Henderson, a 16-year-old full-back, in the party.

Smith travelled, as did defender Dennis Clarke, who passed a fitness test after being forced off against Halifax by an ankle injury.

While the players headed out from Manchester Airport, club staff were busy preparing for the forthcoming visit of Italian sides Sampdoria and Bologna, with Town supporter Enrique Balbentin, an Italian working in Halifax, being appointed as an interpreter!