Challenge Cup third round preview: Wath Brow Hornets v Newcastle Thunder

Cumbrian community side Wath are looking to create an upset when they take on League 1 club Newcastle Thunder.

“It’s going to be an interesting game,” said coach Ian Rooney. “Obviously they’re a league above us but the Challenge Cup has seen a few upsets and hopefully we can create one on Saturday.

“We’ve played two games in the Challenge Cup and a friendly and I’m really pleased with the way the lads have been going. We know how hard it’s going to be but we’ve trained well leading up to this game and hopefully we will get another good result.”

For Newcastle coach Stanley Gene, going to Cumbria reminds him of home: “I grew up in the mountains of Papua New Guinea where people are so passionate about the game and it’s the same in Cumbria,” he said.

“I think it will be my first game over there since 1997. I take my hat off to Wath Brow and the people who are running the club. I’ve been here for 20 years and to see a club like that doing well over that time, it’s a job well done.

“Like any club who play in a division below, they want to beat you and test their skills against the best teams.”

Thunder beat Oxford in the iPro Sport Cup last week and while Gene wasn’t entirely happy with his team’s performance he said: “A win is a win, we can only get better.”