Warrington Wolves beat Bradford Northern in 1991 Regal Trophy

The Wire defeated Bradford Northern 12-2 on an increasingly ploughed-up Headingley pitch in Leeds on January 12, 1991.

Des Drummond with the trophy lift and Dave Lyon salutes

Mark Thomas came off the bench early in the second half to score the only try of the game, paving the way for captain Des Drummond to lift the silverware on what was the club's fourth and final success in a competition that became defunct in 1996.

The sequence for Mark Thomas' winning try

Little did the Warrington fans know at the time it would be the last occasion they would celebrate a trophy win until the 2009 Challenge Cup Final achievement over Huddersfield Giants at Wembley.

Thomas, whose Welsh father Mal had won a Lancashire Cup with The Wire in 1965, was an unlikely hero, but a fitting one as Brian Johnson's injury-hit league strugglers triumphed out of adversity.

Normally a back-rower, signed from Leigh, he stood in as an emergency prop after Gary Chambers left the field injured in the 41st minute.

Gary Chambers carries The Wire forward watched by Paul Cullen, Kevin Ellis and Duane Mann

It was only the second time he had played in the role, and one of only two tries the ball-handler scored for the club in 36 appearances.

His first time at prop had come two weeks earlier, when he started in a stunning semi-final success against competition favourites Widnes at Central Park in Wigan.

With the Wire looking lightweight while shorn of the injured Bob Jackson, Tony Burke, Mike Gregory and Gary Sanderson, New Zealand Test centre Gary Mercer joined Thomas in the starting pack against a star-studded Widnes side and stayed in the back row for the rest of his career after such an impressive display.

Johnson's men tackled Widnes off the park and Mercer set Drummond free late on to create the winning try for up-and-coming Cumbrian centre Chris Rudd, selected in the absence of Tony Thorniley.

With Warrington winning at Wigan on New Year's Day, three days later, and then comfortably seeing off Hull KR at home they headed into the final against Bradford in buoyant mood.

Gary Mercer changes direction on a treacherous Headingley surface while Jon Hamer tries to block his route

Kevin Ellis tries to evade Bradford skipper John Pendlebury

Dave Lyon with one of his four successful kicks at goal, only a couple of days after he'd been in hospital with an eye injury

But in freezing-cold weather and a Headingley pitch cutting up badly, it was a dour affair for many observers with few highlights until Thomas' winning try from a fine Chris O'Sullivan half break and pass.

Nobody could doubt Wire deserving to run out winners though, for their monumental efforts against Widnes in the semis as well as in the performance that knocked out St Helens 18-12 in the quarter finals.

In the earlier rounds they defeated Leigh and Runcorn Highfield.

Allan Bateman, Kevin Ellis and Duane Mann winning their first and only trophy with The Wire

The winning Wire team in the final: David Lyon; Des Drummond, Allan Bateman, Tony Thorniley, Mark Forster; Chris O'Sullivan, Kevin Ellis; Neil Harmon, Duane Mann, Gary Chambers, Gary Mercer, Billy McGinty, Paul Cullen. Subs: Mark Thomas, Rowland Phillips.

The Bradford team: Ian Wilkinson; Gerald Cordle, Darrall Shelford, Roger Simpson, Tony Marchant; Neil Summers, Brett Iti; David Hobbs, Brian Noble, John Hamer, Paul Medley, David Croft, John Pendlebury. Subs: Phil Hellewell, Craig Richards (not used).

Allan Bateman

Gary Mercer

Chris O'Sullivan

Paul Cullen gets the ball away to Kevin Ellis

Billy McGinty with the fend

Duane Mann

Chris O'Sullivan

Duane Mann

Des Drummond leaves Neil Summers trailing

Des Drummond off on one of his trademark runs

Neil Harmon has Paul Cullen in support

Allan Bateman is stopped by Roger Simpson

Glorious celebrations for skipper Des Drummond, winning try scorer Mark Thomas and back-row star Billy McGinty

The Regal Trophy was dropped by the game's bosses when the Super League era arrived, due to concerns of overcrowding the fixture list.

Warrington's other wins in the competition, which had also been known as the Player's №6 Trophy (1971-77), the John Player Trophy (1977-83) and the John Player Special Trophy (1983-89), came against Rochdale in 1974, Widnes in 1978 and Barrow in 1981.