THE CHESHIRE committee is to review the format of the Thwaites County Cup after a season fraught with difficulties.

Only a handful of matches were completed in the competition which nevertheless produced an excellent and absorbing final at Caldy on Easter Sunday.

The committee has had great difficulty fixing dates because of the busy league schedules and the open cup competitions.

The position has been so bad with much bickering that Gordon Kennedy has signalled enough as far as he is concerned and after many years as secretary and latterly chairman of the Cup and Plate committee has called it a day.

Some of the lower graded clubs dropped out of the competition unwilling to have a go at a giant killing act. Others fell by the way-side because of difficulty over arranging dates and Winnington Park and Birkenhead Park were thrown out because they could not get their game completed by the due date for various reasons.

Then holders Macclesfield after reaching the final declined to play less than 24 hours after a National Three North League game and withdrew leaving the way for the recall of Wirral, whom they had beaten 27-5.

Chester were seeded to the quarter-final and then were given a walkover before beating Stockport in the semi-final. Wirral beat Lymm in the first round and then had a quarter-final bye because of the axing of the two Park sides.

Chester's victory on Sunday meant they put their name on the trophy for the first time. Wirral have not yet lifted the county title.

The County thoughts now turn to the County Championship. It is hoped to have a friendly against the Anti-Assassins at Sale on April 28 before the opening county game against Durham at Winnington Park on Saturday May 1.

Saturday sees the final full league programme of the season.