Broncos survive an unpleasant scare as Batley just fall short

A series of heavily one-sided scorelines in favour of the elite against Championship clubs in recent years has left the game’s most famous knockout competition open to plenty of criticism.

Having already knocked out Castleford Tigers in the previous round, there were fears that cup upset might have just been a one-off for Championship side Featherstone Rovers.

Yet, less than 48 hours after Rovers gave cup aristocrats Wigan another almighty scare, fellow second-tier outfit Batley Bulldogs went closer still to causing a similar outcome.

They may have fallen marginally short yesterday against a desperate London Broncos side who needed all the quality and experience of former Australian Test star Craig Gower to drag them through the toughest of fifth-round ties.

But the manner of their enthralling display, played out amid horrendous slanting rain at Mount Pleasant, further reiterated that the chasm between the elite and the rest is not as gaping as many believe.

Given struggling London’s dubious position in Super League and their hosts’ impressive start to the season, there was always hope of that elusive shock result.

When the heavens opened and turned Mount Pleasant into a mudbath, with the wind whipping up too, the odds shortened dramatically.

Bemused London, with a plethora of Australian NRL Grand Final winners among their ranks, spilled the ball four times in the opening eight minutes alone as they tried to get to grips with the alien conditions.

But, when they finally completed a set, it resulted in the game’s first try. Batley full-back Ian Preece allowed scrum-half Gower’s high kick to bounce and it slid away for winger Jamie O’Callaghan to cross. It was unfortunate on the hosts who had started strongly up the famous slope, Gareth Moore’s precision kicking continually pegging the visitors back.

The ex-Wakefield scrum-half had also sliced through to give Kris Lythe sight of the line, only for the loose forward to be dragged down inches short.

However, London eased into a 16-0 lead by the 19th minute and it seemed one of those aforementioned annihilations was set.

Alex Brown defused Gower’s next steepling bomb but was caught behind his own line and, from the resulting drop-out, Gower’s neat short pass slipped Matt Cook over untouched.

Shane Rodney improved and did so soon again when Antonio Kaufusi barrelled over from close range.

When London kept it simple and held the ball, they clearly looked more threatening, but their earlier slackness returned and Batley deservedly profited.

The catalyst was the introduction of Alex Walmsley, a prop who was playing for Leeds Metropolitan University just a few weeks ago after being nurtured at amateurs Dewsbury Celtic.

Looking not too dissimilar to a young Jeff Grayshon, he barrelled through the London defence with his first touch.

A swift play the ball then allowed Paul Mennell to find Moore and his sharp flat pass sent centre Danny Maun through a gaping hole to score. Moore converted and, when London aimed a forward pass 30m from their own line, the hosts were in again.

Walmsley once more set the platform with another robust charge allowing Ben Black to deliver a cute ball for Mark Applegarth to benefit, Moore again improving.

The artful Gower – ‘celebrating’ his 34th birthday – remained London’s biggest threat as long as his colleagues could keep hold of the ball. But, fortunately, through a mixture of Batley’s steely defence and the awful conditions, that was kept to a minimum.

Turning around 16-12 behind, the buoyed home side would have fancied their chances marching down the slope against a side who had not won away from home for nearly a year. Ironically, though, they struggled to command as much field position, Moore and Black failing to kick as cleverly as they had in the first period.

Regardless, John Kear’s side were expertly organised in defence, so much so that London did not add to their score until the 71st minute. Much of that was down to the alertness of Jason Walton, the fierce Batley centre who continually shot out to cut down Gower, while Preece produced a brilliant enveloping tackle on Olsi Krasniqi when the London prop seemed destined to score.

The turning point came on 63 minutes. Still only trailing by four points, Black finally found a dangerous kick to force a drop-out.

With London sagging, it was an opportunity for the underdogs to strike but, crucially, they momentarily switched off and allowed Michael Witt to re-gather a short drop-out and ease any pressure.

It meant, when London’s ex-Manly hooker Chad Randall finally burrowed his way over from close for Rodney to convert, their chances faded fast.

Exhausted London knew it; they celebrated like they had won the final at Wembley not edged a filthy contest in rain-drenched Batley.

There was still a twist, though, when Keegan Hirst, another powerful Batley replacement, ripped possession off Mark Bryant and Black’s grubber saw Preece dive over with just six minutes remaining.

Moore missed the conversion attempt and time did eventually run out but Batley – inaugural Challenge Cup winners in 1897 – have rarely warranted their Gallant Youths nickname more.

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Batley: Preece; Potts, Walton, Maun, Brown; Black, Moore; Smith, Mennell, Potter, Bretherton, Applegarth, Lythe. Substitutes: Grehan, Hirst, Walmsley, Palfrey.

London: Robertson; O’Callaghan, Channing, Sarginson, Dixon; Witt, Gower; Kafusi, Randall, Bryant, Cook, Rodney, Bailey. Substitutes: Temata, Krasniqi, Melling, Dorn.

Referee: T Alibert (Toulouse).