Halifax upset by French part-timers

Limouxin will be France's sole representatives in the Powergen Challenge Cup fifth round after a narrow win over Halifax yesterday.

The semi-professional side edged a tight contest 19-18 at the Stade de L'Aiguille to send Halifax, a Super League club just last year, out of the competition.

Boycie Nelson, Tyrone Pau and Frederic Zitter all crossed for Limouxin and Walter Mackie kicked five goals. Halifax responded with two tries from South African Jamie Bloem, a further try from Alan Hadcroft and three goals from Ged Corocoran, but Mickael Murciz's drop goal proved decisive.

York City Knights also moved through with a 32-24 win over National League Two rivals Sheffield in a bad-tempered game at the Don Valley Stadium. The game saw six sin-binnings, the four from the Eagles proving costly and scuppering any second-half comeback plans.

Chris Smith, Scott Rhodes, Danny Briggs and Damien Ball put the Knights in control but the Eagles responded through Nick Turnbull, Andy Pointer and Danny Mills. York, however, proved too strong and went on to win with tries from Craig Forsyth and Chris Langley.

Hunslet, who beat Huddersfield at the same stage last season, enjoyed no heroics this year as they were beaten 48-20 by Doncaster at South Leeds Stadium. The former Salford half-back Graham Holroyd was the Dragons' inspiration, scoring one try and creating five others.

Gareth Lloyd, Johnny Woodcock and Gareth Handford all benefited to score in the first half but the Hawks remained in the game with tries from Mick Coyle and Jermaine Wray. The game was settled by second-half tries from Holroyd, Matt Walker, Woodcock, Dean Colton and PJ Solomon.

London Skolars' hopes of progress ended in a 52-6 thrashing at the hands of Featherstone at New River Stadium. Matthew Wray, Richard Newlove, James Ford, Bryan Henare, Jamie Coventry, Richard Blakeway, Paul Darley, Jon Presley and Nathan Batty all crossed in a dominant Rovers performance.