Carnegie Challenge Cup Round 4 Review

The fourth round of the Carnegie Challenge cup was the stage that Super League's elite would enter the road to Wembley.

With the draw producing only one all Super league ties, there were very little chance of any real shocks.

Championship team Batley Bulldogs came so close in producing a big shock as they lost out 28-18 to form horses Huddersfield Giants.

Huddersfield needed a late rally and a controversial sending-off of an opposing player to shake off Batley and reach round five of the Challenge Cup. With 13 minutes left Dane Manning was dismissed for a high challenge on Larne Patrick, and Batley lost their way.

Kevin Brown gave the Giants an early lead before tries by Manning and Jason Walton put the home side in front.

Lee Gilmour levelled before the break with Alex Brown restoring Batley's lead but four late Giants tries won it.

Bradford Bulls were also given a scare by local rivals Halifax as they ran out winners 46-34 in a high scoring game at The Shay.

Both teams seemed too struggled in defending their own line and in an entertaining first half, the Bulls went into the break with a 32-24 advantage.

Led by man-of-the-match Elliott Whitehead, who scored a double, the visitors managed to get themselves into the next round. Halifax were led well by hooker Sean Penkywicz who was a menace for Bradford throughout the match.

Co-Operative Championship leaders Leigh Centurions produced a great performance as they took French outfit Catalan Dragons the distance, to lose a close game 22-16.

The Super League side were stunned as Ian Millward's previously unbeaten Centurions stormed ahead at Leigh Sports Village with early tries from Adam Higson and Tommy Goulden.

They threatened more but the Dragons eventually hit back through Damien Blanch and Jean-Philippe Baile and won the game with further scores from Cyril Stacul and Ian Henderson. Stuart Donlan pulled one back as Leigh maintained the fight to the end.

Leeds Rhinos had to battle to see off Crusaders 30-20 at Headingley Carnegie Stadium. The hosts, last year's runners up, lost marquee players Brent Webb and Danny McGuire to injury in the first half. Crusaders made the most of this and raced into a 10-0 lead thanks to tries from Hep Cahill and Rhys Hanbury.

However, the Rhinos showed their quality and hit back to lead 18-10 at the break Paul McShane went over from dummy half with Jay Pitts and Rob Burrow also getting on the scoresheet.

Ryan Hall scored straight after the re-start. Elliott Kear gave Crusaders some hope but this was dashed as Cahill got himself sent off for kicking out on Rob Burrow.

Despite being down to twelve men Peter Lupton cut the gap to 24-20 but a mistake from Jarrod Sammut led to Danny Buderus going over to put Leeds into the next round.

St Helens comfortably moved into the fifth round with a 52-26 win over a plucky Sheffield Eagles, for whom Quentin Laulu-Togagae grabbed a hat-trick in the last 10 minutes.

The Eagles were always going to have a tough afternoon as Jamie Foster and Francis Meli led the way for Saints with two tries apiece. Sheffield finished strongly with Laulu-Togagae claiming three of his own but it was too late by that stage.

Elsewhere, holders Warrington Wolves and Super League champions Wigan Warriors both kept clean sheets against their lower division opposition in comfortable wins.

Results
Batley Bulldogs 18-28 Huddersfield Giants
Dewsbury Rams 38-44 Swinton Lions
Doncaster 10-50 Wakefield Wildcats
Featherstone Rovers 42-16 FC Lezignan-Corbieres
Gateshead Thunder 0-70 Harlequins RL
Halifax 34-46 Bradford Bulls
Hull FC 82-0 Oldham
Hunslet Hawks 2-68 Salford City Reds
Leeds Rhinos 30-20 Crusaders
Leigh Centurions 16-22 Catalan Dragons
London Skolars 18-62 Widnes Vikings
Rochdale Hornets 10-72 Castleford Tigers
St Helens 52-26 Sheffield Eagles
Warrington Wolves 80-0 Keighley Cougars
Wigan Warriors 52-0 Barrow Raiders
York City Knights 22-64 Hull K R

The draw was made for Round 5 and it produced some entertaining ties.

Bradford Bulls reward for getting past Halifax was a home tie to Champions Wigan Warriors.

Local rivals Wakefield Wildcats and Castleford Tigers were paired together in an intriguing clash.

Other all-Super League ties will see Leeds entertain Harlequins, Huddersfield host Catalan Dragons, while Salford will face Hull KR.

Holders Warrington got an ideal draw - at home to Championship One leaders Swinton, the lowest-ranked side left in the competition.

St Helens were also pulled out at home to lower-league opponents - namely Featherstone - while the other tie sees Widnes entertain Hull FC.

Full draw for Round 5:

Huddersfield v Catalan Dragons
Warrington v Swinton
Leeds v Harlequins
St Helens v Featherstone
Wakefield v Castleford
Bradford v Wigan
Widnes v Hull
Salford v Hull KR
These ties will be played on the weekend of May 21-22.