Giant-killers handed fourth round boost

Halifax-based community club Siddal will go into this weekend’s Carnegie Challenge Cup fourth round boosted by the news that their place in Cup folklore is already assured.

The National Conference League Premier Division club set up a tie against Batley Bulldogs with a famous 26-0 third round victory over the professionals of Doncaster, a win which has been named as the seventh biggest upset in the 113-year history of the Challenge Cup.

The RFL recently asked supporters to identify the greatest Challenge Cup giant-killing act of all time and the results of the official poll are being revealed all this week.

“Nilling any opposition at any level is rare in the modern game but Siddal did it the hard way by going to a professional club’s ground and keeping their defence intact with a magnificent display,” wrote ‘amateur Rugby League aficionado’ Trevor Beardsall in his submission.

“Many amateur clubs have beaten professional opponents in the Cup but few have done it as impressively as Siddal did against Doncaster.”

Siddal’s victory comes in at Number Seven in the list of Cup shocks, one place ahead of another triumph by an amateur side – Beverley’s 27-4 win at Runcorn Highfield in 1995.

Beverley’s coach that day was Len Casey, the former Hull KR, Hull FC, Wakefield Trinity  and Great Britain forward whose side did the East Yorkshire town proud to set up a second round tie against Batley at The Boulevard.

“This was the first time an amateur team had eliminated a professional team from the Challenge Cup since Beverley (the same team, but with slightly different players!) beat Ebbw Vale in 1908-9,” said Beverley fan Andy Bruce in his nomination.

“As I was a committee member at the time and had played and trained with many of the players who played that day, this was a special event for me – I still have my coach ticket and programme!”