Dewsbury v York City Knights: Rams looking to repeat last season’s Challenge Cup heroics

Dale Ferguson’s men entertain York City Knights in the third round of the Challenge Cup at FLAIR Stadium on Sunday, February 11 (kick off 2pm), where they will be searching for a much-needed victory.

Defeats in the group stage of the 1895 Cup against Keighley Cougars and Bradford Bulls to kick start 2024 means the Challenge Cup is now the only source of competitive games for the Rams until their first Championship fixture, against Liam Finn’s Halifax Panthers, on Sunday, March 17.

Under Finn, Dewsbury had a memorable run in last season’s Challenge Cup, where they entered at the second round stage with the other League 1 teams and convincingly beat amateur outfit Ashton Bears 38-8.

They then got past Rochdale Hornets 38-18 to set up an enticing fourth round clash with Widnes of the Championship.

Backed by a strong crowd, the Rams put on a superb display to run out 32-12 winners against John Kear’s men thanks to tries from Lewis Carr, Ollie Greensmith and Ronan Dixon, as well as a double from the exceptional Reiss Butterworth, who got a deserved move to Hull KR, and the Super League, at the end of the season.

This meant Dewsbury were one victory away from the 1895 Cup semi-finals and 160 minutes away from a return to Wembley for a first major final since 1929.

But, despite giving them a mighty scare, the Rams were beaten 36-16 by London Broncos, who would go on to secure a place in Super League through the Championship play-offs.

London’s journey in the Challenge Cup, however, was halted at the very next stage by the Rams’ opponents this Sunday, York.

The Knights had already thrashed West Bowling, 52-12, edged past Sheffield Eagles, 24-22, and defeated Newcastle Thunder, 22-18, to make the last-16, and Olly Butterworth’s debut hat-trick secured an impressive 36-12 victory over the Broncos.

York’s Challenge Cup adventure ended at the hands of the eventual winners, Leigh Leopards, while both York and London exited from the 1895 Cup semi-finals after being defeated by Batley Bulldogs and Halifax Panthers respectively.

The Knights are also in prime position to qualify for this season’s 1895 Cup knockout stages. Despite losing last Sunday at home to highly-fancied Wakefield, 40-4, their 114-10 hammering of Newcastle Thunder the week before should be enough to cement their status as the best placed runners-up across the seven groups.