Challenge Cup: Wins for Castleford and Hull FC

Wakefield 18 Castleford 20 (after extra time)

Castleford winger Kirk Dixon landed a 50-metre penalty in the 11th minute of extra time to finally settle a dramatic Carnegie Challenge Cup fifth-round tie and send his side through to the quarter-finals.

Dixon had levelled the scores for a third time with a penalty three minutes from the end of normal time to set up the “golden-point” decider and finally break the hearts of arch rivals Wakefield.

The Wildcats wasted three chances to win the tie with failed drop-goal attempts from Josh Veivers, Tommy Lee and Stuart Howarth, while Castleford’s Rangi Chase and Danny Orr were also off target with attempts to break the deadlock with one-pointers.

It was Castleford’s second “golden-point” success after they beat Halifax 35-34 in a fifth-round tie two years ago and they could justifiably claim a fair result after outscoring Wakefield three tries to two.

Widnes 26 Hull 50

Hull ran in nine tries as they saw off battling Championship side Widnes to claim a place in the Carnegie Challenge Cup quarter-finals this afternoon.

The visitors led from the ninth minute to the final whistle at the Halton Stadium but were given a tougher contest than they might have expected by a side they will play in Super League next season.

Richard Horne and Tom Briscoe finished with two tries apiece for Hull while Richard Whiting, Will Sharp, Joe Westerman, Epalahame Lauaki and Cameron Phelps also touched down.

Bradford 22 Wigan 26

Wigan secured their place in the last eight of the Carnegie Challenge Cup but they were made to work for their victory over Bradford, who played most of the fifth-round tie with 12 men.

Former Great Britain winger Gareth Raynor was sent off after half-an-hour for a foul on Sam Tomkins as the England full-back was going over for a try that put the Super League champions into the lead for the first time.

The Bulls winger appeared to be aiming to dislodge the ball from Tomkins’ grasp but referee Steve Ganson decided there was intent to harm the player, although he opted not to award an additional penalty.

Tomkins was out cold for several minutes and, after being helped to his feet, was taken from the field and played no further part in the eventful match.

The numbers were briefly evened up when Wigan prop Jeff Lima, no stranger to disciplinary matters in his first season in England, was sin-binned four minutes before half-time for use of the elbow.

But the champions seized control of the tie even before they were restored to their full complement, with the aid of two tries in the first five minutes of the second half.

Huddersfield Giants 30 Catalans Dragons 16

Influential scrum-half Danny Brough created three tries and kicked three goals to help Huddersfield Giants through to the Challenge Cup quarter-finals.

For the full reports and reaction read Sports Monday inside tomorrow’s Yorkshire Post.