Bill Marshall looks at the T&A sporting headlines from this very week, 50 years ago...

IN A week when it was announced that ABC TV talent search programme Opportunity Knocks would be coming to Bradford's Midland Hotel on June 11, involving at least 150 applicants, some big clubs were monitoring the progress of Bradford Park Avenue striker Kevin Hector.

In a season when he scored a club record 44 league goals in 46 matches, FA Cup finalists Everton and Nottingham Forest were said to be among those interested in signing the 21-year-old.

However, it was an awful week for professional sport in Bradford.

The Bantams, who missed three decent chances in the opening ten minutes, lost 4-0 at home to Notts County, staying bottom of the Fourth Division, while Avenue crashed 5-1 at Aldershot Town.

Bobby Ham scored the consolation goal in the 41st minute but the margin could have been even worse as Leonard Walker's penalty was saved by John Hardie.

Bradford Boys defeated Don & Dearne 5-0 at Valley Parade in a Wylie Shield semi-final at Valley Parade, Turner (Eccleshill) getting a hat-trick to add to earlier goals by Walker and Halliday.

Northern won 16-4 at York to book a first-round top-16 tie at home to Halifax the following Saturday, Dave Stockwell, Tommy Smales, Pete Goddard, Terry Clawson and Johnny Rae shining on a firm pitch that was called first rate.

Halifax warmed up by putting ten tries past Keighley in a 44-3 romp for their biggest win of the season.

Bradford hadn't won the Yorkshire Rugby Union Cup – nicknamed the T'owd Tin Pot – since 1925 but rectified that with an 8-3 victory over Harrogate at Otley, thanks to two pieces of brilliance from scrum half Roger Pickering.

It was 0-0 at half-time but his breaks (Pickering made his England debut ten months later) paved the way for tries by Peter Crowther (a rarity so he tells me) and Rod Dimbleby, Phil Carter converting the latter's try magnificently from near the touchline.