Lock Lane’s band of amateurs gear up for Challenge Cup glamour tie with Hull KR

Castleford amateurs Lock Lane are celebrating after brushing aside Brighouse Rangers to set up a lucrative Betfred Challenge Cup third-round clash against treble winners Hull KR.

“It’s absolutely massive,” beamed the club’s head coach Brad Roberts after masterminding their 44-6 win in front of an expectant crowd in the high hundreds at the Brighouse Sports Club.

Founded in 1938, Roberts’ club are no strangers to Challenge Cup adventures. They pushed First Division Huddersfield in a narrow 15-10 defeat at Fartown in 1970 and in 2007 lost 88-10 to Super League neighbours Castleford, having briefly led 4-0.

But the magnitude of facing the all-conquering defending champions early next month – in a tie that is almost certain to be switched to Craven Park – is just starting to dawn on Roberts and his men after a nine-try romp inspired by a hat-trick from centre Lewis Price.

“As a club we’ve just been focused on playing Brighouse this week, but now we can start to enjoy it,” added Roberts, whose side are preparing to kick off another season in the National Conference League. “We’re playing Hull KR next and it’s just like, wow.”

Hosts Brighouse had begun the game seeking to renew very old acquaintances. One of the 22 founder members of the Northern Union, they held Rovers to a scoreless draw in the Challenge Cup in 1906, before losing a replay 29-0.

But despite building a surprise 6-0 lead, Rangers were ultimately overwhelmed by their higher-ranked opponents, who will take advantage of a competition restructure which gives community clubs a glimmer of hope of landing that ultimate glamour tie.

Last season, the first under the new structure, saw inevitable maulings, including London amateur club Wests Tigers being beaten 92-0 by Leeds Rhinos at Headingley, while West Hull put up a fight before falling 38-0 to 13-time winners St Helens.

That the stakes were so high this time was essentially due to the demise of Featherstone Rovers, against whom the winners of Brighouse and Lock Lane had been drawn to play in round two.

Instead, the first weekend in February will see will see Mikey Lewis and co pit their wits against the likes of Lock Lane winger Harry Render, a videographer who turned down a £170 job this weekend to be a part of his side’s Challenge Cup story.

“I’m self-employed so I had a job booked in before the original match was postponed last weekend,” said Render. “I’m making sure I leave the Hull KR date open. It means so much to the lads and it is great to give the town something to cheer about.”