Demons Challenge (From Warrington Guardian)

Demons Challenge

WARRINGTON Wizards will host Bradford Dudley Hill Demons in the second round of the Powergen Rugby League Challenge Cup on Saturday after kicking off their Northern Rail Cup campaign with a disappointing defeat.

Wizards were beaten 28-12 at Bramley Buffaloes on Sunday in the first of six games in Group Seven but coach Eddie Harris is confident they can return to winning ways against an old foe in the Challenge Cup.

Wizards defeated fellow National League Three side Dudley Hill in the Rail Cup last year before coming unstuck in their league tussle and Harris is looking forward to Saturday's clash, which takes place at Wilderspool at 2.30pm.

He said: "We have had some great battles with the Demons recently and it isn't going to be any different on Saturday. I'm sure we can bounce back from the Bramley defeat.

"I believe that we have the personnel within our side to win the game but it is going to need every player to be fully focused for the full 80 minutes."

Victory against Dudley Hill could earn Wizards a clash with a National League One club in the third round, or even a trip to France or Russia, and Harris hopes Clint Rylance and Lee Rushton will have overcome knocks to play.

They both missed the defeat at Bramley, who took the lead early in the match thanks to Mark Sigston's try and were 14-0 ahead at half time after Darrell Forster and Paul Drake crossed.

Danny O'Connor's try then left Wizards with a mountain to climb before Steven Smythe's pass allowed Andy Addison to pull a try back, with Chris Mellor converting.

Tries from Bramley's Chris Gardner and Graham Harrison ended the game as a contest but Ian Stephenson raced 60 metres to score a converted try in the closing stages.

Wizards: Chris Malone; Ian Stephenson, Dalibor Vukanovic, Jon Cole, Zoran Pesic; Craig Harris, Steven Dykes; Luke Worsley, Steven Smythe, Neil Smith, Matt Taylor, Andy Addison, Chris Mellor. Subs: Soni Radovanovic, Neil Bourke, Gareth Simpson, Dave Kelly.