London will have two community clubs in the hat for Monday’s Betfred Challenge Cup third round draw, after Southern Conference sides Hammersmith Hill Hoists and Wests Warriors knocked National Conference League (NCL) Premier Division opposition out of the competition.
If Saturday’s nerve-jangler between Leigh Miners Rangers and Stanningley – won 19-18 by the visitors courtesy of a last-minute Adam Butterill drop goal – was the match of the round, then the result of the round was surely at Wests Warriors. And like Rangers versus Stanningley earlier in the afternoon, this too went right down to the wire.
Mayfield had narrowed their deficit to just two points, 22-24, with three minutes remaining of a game which swung like a pendulum from start to finish. It really could have gone either way – and it eventually went the way of Wests, the Warriors scoring right on the final whistle to win 28-22 and claim a place in the third round.
Joining Wests Warriors in the hat for the third round are their London neighbours and reigning Southern Conference champions Hammersmith Hills Hoists, who also accounted for West Bowling. The Bradford side had won away at Oulton Raiders for the first time in four years in Round 1, but this time found themselves on the wrong end of an outstanding home display and a 32-10 final score.
Rangers led early on and dominated large parts of the game but were made to pay right at the death when, with the visitors piling on the pressure in the closing stages, they gambled on a short drop out only to concede crucial field position. And up stepped ice man Butterill to put Stanningley into the third round for the second year in succession.
As all the Betfred Challenge Cup drama was being played out in Leigh and London, elsewhere there were comfortable wins for NCL sides Hunslet ARLFC (66-0 at Fryston Warriors), Lock Lane (72-0 at home to Edinburgh Eagles), Sidall (38-4 at Clock Face Miners), Wath Brow Hornets (38-00 at Hull Dockers) and West Hull (40-18 at Doncaster Toll Bar).
Jimmy Jones had given North West Counties side Clock Face an early lead against Sidall and a young Hull Dockers side kept Wath Brow to 0-12 at half-time, but ultimately there was no escaping the class of the National Conference League Premier Division sides – all except for Hammersmith Hills Hoists and West Warriors!
And in Sunday’s games, NCL Premier sides Thatto Heath and York Acorn both secured their third round places.
The Navy were impressive in beating Forces rivals RAF in Round 1, and started and finished well against the St Helens side too – but in between the Navy’s opening score and their three late tries, Crusaders produced a golden spell of five tries without reply to put the game to bed. Royal Navy kept going to reduce the gap to 24-32, but Crusaders will be one team to avoid in Round 3.
A serious-looking knee injury to a York Acorn player temporarily halted the NCL Premier side’s progress at Orrell St James, but when play resumed the Yorkshire side just about did enough to hold off the reigning North West Counties champions 22-12.
Round 2 results
- Clock Face Miners 4 Siddal 38
- Doncaster Toll Bar 18 West Hull 40
- Fryston Warriors 0 Hunslet ARLFC 66
- Hammersmith Hills Hoists 32 West Bowling 10
- Hull Dockers 0 Wath Brow Hornets 38
- Leigh Miners Rangers 18 Stanningley 19
- Lock Lane 72 Edinburgh Eagles 0
- Orrell St James 12 York Acorn 22
- Royal Navy 24 Thatto Heath Crusaders 32
- Wests Warriors 28 Rochdale Mayfield 22
The draws for Rounds 3 and 4 of the Betfred Challenge Cup will be streamed on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app live from the DCBL Stadium, home of Widnes Vikings, on Monday 29 January, 6.30pm. The Vikings are one of 22 semi-professional clubs from the Betfred Championship and League One entering the competition at Round 3. Those clubs will join the 10 winners of this weekend’s Round 2 ties in the hat for Round 3, with the 16 ties taking place over the weekend of 10/11 February.
The Men's 2024 Betfred Challenge Cup Final is part of a Finals Day triple-header at Wembley Stadium on Saturday 8 June, alongside the finals of the Betfred Women's Challenge Cup and AB Sundecks 1895 Cup. Tickets are available online now from only £15 Adults and £7.50 Under 16s, with family packages also available starting from just £18.75 for one Adult and two Under 16s.
