Rugby League Round-Up: Goulding is pivotal

BOBBY GOULDING underlined his claim for a Great Britain recall next month as Widnes cruised to a quarter-final place with a 22-6 victory against Sheffield Eagles in the fifth round of the Silk Cut Challenge Cup yesterday. The scrum-half set up two first-half tries and kicked five goals as he helped Widnes break a run of three home defeats.

In the other all-First Division tie, Featherstone Rovers faced Hull Kingston Rovers, who were without 10 of their first-team squad. Martin Pearson stamped his authority on the game with inspired running and support as well as scoring 18 points on the way to 30-8 win.

Oldham seemed to be the First Division team most likely to succumb to opposition from a lower division. Audley Pennant confirmed those expectations with a try after 10 minutes as Doncaster earned a place in the Challenge Cup quarter-finals for only the second time in 24 years with an emphatic 20-0 victory.

A hat-trick from Chris Joynt ended Whitehaven's interest in the cup as St Helens ran out 46-4 winners. Castleford met little resistance from Keighley as they turned on the power to win 52-14. Similarly Bradford Northern shrugged off the challenge of Workington Town with a convincing 32-0 victory.

Warrington will discuss a transfer request from their Welsh forward Rowland Phillips on Tuesday. Phillips was unhappy at being dropped for Saturday's Challenge Cup fifth-round tie at Leeds, which Warrington lost 38-4.