Siddal at home to students

The pair will meet at Chevinedge on the weekend of February 13-14.

The draw took place last night at RAF Coningsby with the home teams drawn by 1998 Challenge Cup and Lance Todd Trophy winner Mark Aston and the away teams by John Kear, who coached Sheffield Eagles to Challenge Cup victory in 1998 and Hull FC in 2005.

Both Gareth Greenwood’s Siddal and Northumbria University had long trips at the weekend. The Halifax side had to go to Aldershot on Sunday while the students took part in the first ever Challenge Cup game in Scotland when they swept aside hosts Aberdeen Warriors by 42-16.

Leading National Conference League outfit Siddal will start favourites against the students from Newcastle, who sit at the top of the Premier North division.

One person who was delighted with the draw was the University’s Tom Shaw who tweeted: “Just been drawn against my amateur club of over 10 years in the next round of The Challenge Cup. Can’t wait to come home for it.”

The nine second round survivors will join all 15 Kingstone Press League One teams in the draw for the third round.

Halifax and the other Kingstone Press Championship sides will enter at the fourth round stage (March 19-20).

Second round draw: Kells v Underbank Rangers, Millom v Pilkington Recs, Shaw Cross Sharks v Castleford Lock Lane, Hunslet Club Parkside v West Hull, York Acorn v Distington, Hull Dockers v Featherstone Lions, Wath Brow Hornets v Oulton Raiders, Egremont Rangers v Rochdale Mayfield, Siddal v Northumbria University.