Super League took a break this past weekend as the Betfred Challenge Cup reached the third round stage with all 12 SL sides entering at this stage. The ties took place across Friday, Saturday and Sunday but would there be any surprise results, lets see...
Tigers Topple Rueful Rovers
The round opened with an epic 90 minute battle as Castleford Tigers staged an amazing comeback to defeat Hull Kingston Rovers 33-32 after four halves of Golden Point extra time. The Robins struck first with Ethan Ryan crossing for 4-0 inside seven minutes before Cas replied through Jake Trueman with Danny Richardson converting for 6-4. Rovers re-took the lead and stormed to 22-6 before the interval with Adam Quinlan, Albert Vete & Matt Parcell all touching down accompanied by two conversions from Mikey Lewis and one from Jordan Abdull.
Cas started the better in the second half with Derrell Olpherts and Paul McShane cutting the gap with tries which Richardson converted for 22-18 but the Robins soon halted the initial comeback with Shaun Kenny-Dowall touching down and Abdull converting for a ten point lead at 28-18 on the hour mark. Abdull pushed the lead to 32-18 with a try of his own but the Tigers fought back superbly with Olpherts and McShane claiming their braces and a Richardson conversion cutting the gap to 32-28 before Jordan Turner levelled the tie in the final seconds and with Richardson missing with the boot at 32 all, the match went to Golden Point. Both sides tried their luck with drop goal attempts but to no avail as the match went to a fourth period of extra time and with 90 minutes played, Gareth O'Brien harkened back to the famous MPG drop goal to sweep over a one-pointer to seal a 33-32 win.
Wigan Win Over Courageous City Knights
The second game of the evening was my virtual attendance for the week as Wigan Warriors secure a 26-0 win over Championship side York City Knights at the LNER Community Stadium. The hosts held the Warriors out in the first quarter before being breached by Zak Hardaker' try for 4-0. Harry Smith crossed to make it 8-0 before a first senior score for Sam Halsall (Hardaker conv) saw the Warriors hold a 14-0 lead into the interval.
Umyla Hanley resumed the Warriors' scoring ten minutes after the restart with Hardaker converting for 20-0 before the tie and scoring were rounded off by Tony Clubb's score and Hardaker' third conversion at 26-0 as the Warriors advanced to the next round.
Rampant Red Devils Rout Vikings
Saturday's action began at the AJ Bell Stadium as Salford Red Devils romped to a 68-4 hammering over Championship side Widnes Vikings. After close opening stages, Salford opened the scoring with Morgan Escare crossing and Krisnan Inu converting for a 6-0 lead that soon became 18-0 after Inu improved a brace from Matty Costello. Tui Lolohea (Inu conv) extended the lead to 24-0 before Widnes halted the spree with a Danny Hill try just before the interval.
Salford resumed control within four minutes of the restart with Declan Patton touching down and Inu kicking for 30-4 before Andy Ackers and Sebastine Ikahihifo crossed (Inu convs) to push the lead to 42-4 before the hour mark. Widnes were in danger of conceding 50 after a Kallum Watkins (Inu conv) made it 48-4 on 64 minutes and that fate came in a stunning five minute quartet late on with Jack Ormondroyd and Rhys Williams crossing ahead of a second Escare score and Chris Atkin try with Inu rounding off the tie with ten successes as the hosts eased to the 68-4 victory.
Saints Stall Rallying Rhinos
A double header at the Totally Wicked Stadium saw a huge clash as St Helens claimed a 26-18 win over fierce rivals Leeds Rhinos. Saints raced out of the blocks with a self-converted try from Tommy Makinson to lead 6-0 inside three minutes but Leeds soon responded though Mikolaj Oledzki with Rhyse Martin levelling at 6 all with the boot. Makinson restored Saints' lead with a penalty goal and they went into the interval leading 8-6.
Leeds suffered a double blow early in the second half with the dismissal of Zane Tetevano and Makinson extending the hosts' advantage to 10-6 with the resulting penalty goal. Regan Grace crossed either side of the hour mark and with Makinson converting the latter, the tie looked safe at 20-6. The depleted Rhinos rallied back though with two scores in two minutes from Brad Dwyer and with Martin converting both the tie became a close one at 20-18. Saints held on to advance though with Makinson claiming his second try of the afternoon late on and kicking for the 26-18 success.
Dragons Delight In Toppling Trinity
The second part of the double header saw Catalans Dragons advance with a 26-6 victory over Wakefield Trinity. The Dragons opened the scoring through Sam Tomkins with James Maloney converting for a 6-0 lead that soon became 6 all with a self-converted score from Mason Lino. Catalans regained the lead with a Maloney penalty goal for an 8-6 lead into the interval.
Wakefield's hopes were all but over by the hour mark after tries from Josh Drinkwater and Tom Davies saw Maloney convert both for a huge 20-6 advantage. The final score of the afternoon came on 66 minutes as Gil Dudson touched down and Maloney kicked a fifth success for 26-6.
Hull FC Hold Off Rallying Rovers
The second game of the afternoon saw Hull FC overcome Championship side Featherstone Rovers in a 34-14 win at the Millennium Stadium. Fev stunned FC by opening the scoring in the first minute through Josh Hardcastle for 4-0 but were soon 10-4 behind after Bureta Faraimo and Carlos Tuimavave crossed and Jake Connor converted once. FC took control with a Josh Griffin brace, second score from Tuimavave and Jordan Johnstone try with Connor converting the lot for a 34-4 half-time lead.
Fev won the second half itself by keeping FC out and cutting the gap to 34-14 with efforts from Brett Ferres and Ben Blackmore with Dane Chisholm converting just the later for a 34-14 final score.
Wolves Survive Swinton Scare
Another cross division tie saw Swinton Lions lose out to Warrington Wolves with a 32-8 loss at Heywood Road. The Wolves struck first with Toby King crossing for 4-0 inside six minutes before Luis Roberts replied for the Lions with Martyn Ridyard kicking them into a 6-4 lead. Ridyard extended the lead to 8-4 with a penalty goal but the Wolves fought back with efforts from Tom Lineham and Blake Austin sandwiching a second score from King with Stefan Ratchford converting twice for a 20-8 lead into the interval.
The second half proved to be a close one with no scores until after the hour mark with ex-Lions player Matty Ashton crossing ahead of a first senior try from Danny Walker, Ratchford converted both to wrap up a 32-8 victory.
Hudds Halt Centurious Challenge
The round came to an end at Leigh Sports Village as Huddersfield Giants claimed a 36-18 win over Leigh Centurions. The Giants struck first through Kenny Edwards with Jake Wardle converting for 6-0 before improving an effort from Sam Wood and adding a penalty goal for 14-0. Jermaine McGillvary crossed to extend the lead to 18-0 before Leigh got off the mark with a Jordan Thompson try which Ben Renyolds converted for 18-6. Wardle kicked another penalty goal to give the Giants a 20-6 advantage into the interval.
McGillvary and Wood claimed their second scores of the afternoon before the hour with Leigh again fighting back with efforts from Nathan Peats and a second Thompson score with Renyolds improving both for 28-18. The Giants wrapped up the win with two late scores as McGillvary completed his hat-trick ahead of a Lee Gaskell try to complete a 36-18 win.
The draw for the Quarter Finals is as follows...
Hull FC v Wigan Warriors
Castleford Tigers v Salford Red Devils
Catalans Dragons v Warrington Wolves
St Helens v Huddersfield Giants
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