Challenge Cup Round up: Featherstone Rovers stunned as star man sees red

Featherstone Rovers have been beaten for the first time in 2023.

After being run close on Monday in the league, Halifax Panthers arrived at Post Office Road to defeat the Rovers and progress to the next round of the Challenge Cup.

It was a late Louis Jouffret try that won the game live on the Sportsman in a game that also saw Josh Hardcastle sent off late on as the Rovers spent most of the game pegging the Panthers back as they took the lead routinely leading 10-6 at the break.

Former Warrington Wolves man Tom Inman scored as did former Wigan Warriors target Lachlan Walmsley also got a try.

Jouffret kicked three goals as the Rovers were beaten for the first time this season with Gadwin Springer, Lacans and Hardcastle getting their tries.

It was a hugely impressive win for Halifax given the dominance of Featherstone thus far this campaign, Fax themselves having already been beaten at the hands of Rovers in the league by a comfortable score of 46-22.

However on Sunday Halifax managed to reverse the form and actually limit Featherstone to their lowest total of the season, edging them out 22-18 courtesy of Jouffret’s late winner.

Elsewhere Hunslet ran Championship side Keighley close in a 16-14 win for the Cougars, a result that would have been a major upset especially given Keighley led 12-4 at half-time.

Thankfully for Cougars fans they managed to just edge out the League One side and progress.

Bradford Bulls had a field day against amateur side York Acorn with a 62-6 win in a game that was in doubt with the club asking fans to help clear snow off the pitch prior to the game.

What resulted was a bit of a bog but it was the Bulls who handled the conditions better, in particular their centre Kieran Gill who scored a hattrick.

Andrew Henderson’s York Knights ran out easy winners over West Bowling with a scoreline of 52-12, the amateur side scoring one converted try in each half.

Barrow Raiders defeated Swinton Lions 32-14 in a game that will give them some much-needed confidence having not won all season, whilst in the other three o’clock kick off Doncaster edged Workington Town thanks to a late try: 24-20.

Earlier Newcastle Thunder had a big win in their postponed game against Stanningley led by Ash Golding of Huddersfield Giants, with Golding’s men going down 58-16, although admirably they kept fighting and only lost the second-half 18-16.

The battle of the Crusaders saw North Wales defeat Thatto Heath but not without a struggle, winning just 18-10 in a closely fought contest that saw the amateur side take a lot of plaudits.

Batley Bulldogs battered Wath Brow Hornets 60-0 and Dewsbury Rams had the better of Rochdale Hornets 38-18.

Amateur Siddal lost 34-12 to Sheffield Eagles with the Eagles pulling away in the final 20 minutes as they scored 22 unanswered points to tie the game up.

As for the Saturday fixtures there was a huge win for Widnes as they travelled to Wests Warriors and won by a score of 80-4 in a 15-try rout for John Kear’s men.

The other Championship sides in action, London Broncos and Whitehaven played each other, with the Cumbrian side having to make the mammoth journey, albeit for a loss.

London ran out 32-10 winners, the two teams tying the second-half 10 a piece after the Broncos raced to a 22-0 lead at the half.

League One Midlands Hurricanes defeated Orrell St James 19-12 in a game that was far closer than anticipated and actually required a comeback from Midlands, 15 unanswered points in the second-half securing the win.

Just hours after Leigh Leopards had secured an amazing victory, Leigh Miners were unable to do so as they crashed out to Rochdale Mayfield 38-10 and Westgate Common lost out in their maiden Challenge Cup campaign to Hunslet ARLFC by a close score of 15-12.

Full Results

Westgate Common 12-15 Hunslet ARLFC

Leigh Miners Rangers 10-38 Rochdale Mayfield

Orrell St James 12-19 Midlands Hurricanes

Wests Warriors 4-80 Widnes Vikings

London Broncos 32-10 Whitehaven

Thatto Heath Crusaders 10-18 North Wales Crusaders

Stanningley 16-58 Newcastle Thunder

Batley Bulldogs 60-0 Wath Brow Hornets

Dewsbury Rams 38-18 Rochdale Hornets

Siddall 12-34 Sheffield Eagles

Barrow Raiders 32-14 Swinton Lions

Bradford Bulls 62-6 York Acorn

Doncaster 24-20 Workington Town

Featherstone Rovers 18-22 Halifax Panthers

Hunslet 14-16 Keighley Cougars

York Knights 52-12 West Bowling

The draws for the fourth and fifth round will be made on Wednesday 15th March.