 Each group member played the other members once with the two group winners meeting in the final.The 1983-84 competition was played as a straight knock-out between the six competing clubs, the league sides Grimsby Town, Lincoln City and Scunthorpe United and the three senior non-league sides Boston United, Gainsborough Trinity and Grantham.The 1984-85 and 1985-86 competitions reverted to a group format, with two randomly drawn groups of three with the winners progressing to the final.