Challenge Cup Fifth Round begins to take shape as community club book spot in tomorrow’s draw

Challenge Cup trophy

Community outfit York Acorn have booked their spot in the Fifth Round of the Challenge Cup, along with Championship side Halifax Panthers in today’s two ties.

Acorn beat fellow National Conference League outfit Wath Brow Hornets in the first game of Round 4, the winners of a 32-28 thriller on home soil.

The North Yorkshire outfit – who led 14-6 at the break this afternoon – were knocked out in the Third Round by Bradford Bulls last year, beaten 62-6 at Odsal.

Elsewhere, Halifax comfortably booked their spot in the next round with a 50-4 thumping of Hammersmith Hills Hoists, a club based in Chiswick who ply their trade in the Southern Conference League.

Liam Finn’s Panthers were 26-0 to the good come the halfway point today, with Riccardo Caligiuri sin-binned for the visitors in the second half at The Shay following a high shot on Jacob Fairbank.

Caligiuri had actually launched a GoFundMe to help with the capital club’s travel expenses for the game, with over £7,000 raised.

Hoists’ moment in the sun would eventually come 70 minutes in, when Charlie Beatty intercepted a Fax pass and raced 40 metres to slide in at the corner, putting four points on the board.

Challenge Cup Fifth Round begins to take shape as community club book spot in tomorrow’s draw

Six ties are still to come in the Fourth Round tomorrow, including two televised games.

First up on the small screen, there’s an all-Championship heavyweight clash between Bradford and Widnes Vikings, with 12 Challenge Cup titles between them.

Live on BBC iPlayer, that gets underway at 12.30pm, with coverage beginning 10 minutes prior.

Later in the day, ‘The Sportsman’ will then show ambitious League 1 side Oldham‘s Round 4 clash at second tier Swinton Lions.

With a 6pm kick-off scheduled, the cameras smell a cup upset, even more so given Sean Long’s Roughyeds have already seen off Championship opposition in the competition this year, winning away at Barrow Raiders only a few weeks ago.

Tomorrow’s six ties are listed in full below:

Bradford Bulls (Championship) v Widnes Vikings (Championship) – 12.30pm: Live on BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport Online)

Batley Bulldogs (Championship) v Rochdale Hornets (League 1) – 2pm

Wakefield Trinity (Championship) v Hunslet ARLFC (National Conference League) – 2pm

Keighley Cougars (League 1) v Featherstone Rovers (Championship) – 3pm

York (Championship) v Sheffield Eagles (Championship) – 3pm

Swinton Lions (Championship) v Oldham (League 1) – 6pm: Live on ‘The Sportsman’

Challenge Cup Fifth Round draw details

Before that clash between Swinton and Oldham, the draw for the Fifth Round of the Challenge Cup will take place live on BBC Radio Leeds.

Ex-Great Britain international Paul Anderson will join radio host James Deighton to make the draw, which will take place shortly after 5pm following the conclusion of tomorrow’s first five Round 4 ties and – as mentioned – ahead of that final one in Greater Manchester.

As well as on DAB & FM Radio, fans outside of the area will also be able to tune in via the BBC Sounds app and on BBC Radio Leeds’ own website.

The ball numbers for the Challenge Cup Fifth Round draw tomorrow evening will be as follows:

1 – Batley Bulldogs or Rochdale Hornets

2 – Bradford Bulls or Widnes Vikings

3 – Halifax Panthers

4 – Keighley Cougars or Featherstone Rovers

5 – Swinton Lions OR Oldham

6 – Wakefield Trinity or Hunslet ARLFC

7 – York Acorn

8 – York or Sheffield Eagles