Another St Helens versus Wigan rivalry rounded off the first round of the 2025 Challenge Cup as North West Premier League side Orrell St James made the ten-mile journey south to face National League Premier Division side Thatto Heath Crusaders with the prize on offer being a trip to Halifax Panthers in round two in a weeks’ time.

The two sides met in the 2024 final of the BARLA National Cup when Thatto Heath emerged as 24-4 victors in the game played at Featherstone Rovers Post Office Road back in August of last year.

It promised to be a feisty encounter, much like the game last August which saw the referee have a busy afternoon with the cards.

A defensive error from Orrell on four minutes gifted Thatto Heath a great opportunity from close in and on the third tackle Kye Siyani took a pass five from the line to drop the shoulder and cross under the sticks to ground for the opening try.  Ryan Houghton added the conversion, the early dominance from the home side reaping early dividends.

A great individual try from Adam Saunders, taking a pass and sprinting thirty metres to the post, gave Thatto Heath their second try of the afternoon, again scoring close to the sticks and giving Houghton a simple conversion to double the lead to 12-0. The home side were in total control.

On the half hour a determined effort from Sam Lewis, collecting a cheeky grubber towards the sticks and forcing the ball to the ground under the sticks, to put Orrell St James right back in the game.   Brad Calland added the extras for 6-12, the visitors finally with some reward for their efforts.

The joy was short-lived when three minutes later Thatto Heath gave the ball plenty of air as they moved it to the left to fine Keane Gilford in plenty of space to go over in the corner. Houghton did brilliantly to add the touchline conversion for 18-6.

Just before the interval the game swung even further to Thatto Heath thanks to a sensational try from Oliver Owen to shrugged off half a dozen tackles as he danced through the Orrell defence to ground from thirty metres out. Sean Leicester took over the kicking and hit the mark as the referee’s whistle ended the half.

Within five minutes of the restart the home side were in again thanks to a break downfield from a goal line drop out with the ball finding Gilford to go twenty and score in the corner for his second of the afternoon. Leicester was unable to add the conversion on this occasion, but it was one-way traffic.

 Fifteen minutes from the final whistle, Orrell St James grabbed themselves a consolation and hit double figures as Callum Taylor went down the left wing off a Ben Tordoff pass to dot down by the corner flag. Calland added the conversion from wide for 12-28.

Thatto Heath knees started knocking on sixty-six when Scott Taylor shrugged off a tackle in pushing his way to the line for the third try for the visitors. Calland added the extras, Orrell ten points adrift of the home side. Thatto Heath paying the price for easing off the gas.

With six minutes remaining Sam Lewis span over the line on the last tackle to force the ball to the ground by the right upright off a Griffith offload, Calland was again on target, Orrell St James with hope in a game where it looked to have been snuffed out just after half time.

Tom Hart intercepted with two minutes remaining and sprinted eighty metres before being hauled down short of the line. The Heath defenders scrambled back and managed to defend their line, saving a game which they looked to have gifted to Orrell.

A brilliant second half from Orrell St James was ultimately fruitless as Thatto Heath managed to hold on to the win despite being outplayed and coming within a whisker of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. It is the Crusaders who will make their way to Halifax next weekend, but Orrell can take pride in their fightback and never say die attitude.

Thatto Heath Crusaders: Leicester (G 1/2), Phillips, Saunders (T), Crehan, Gilford (2T), Jones, Houghton (G 3/3), Siyani (T), Foster, Ashurst, Tracey, Holroyd, Lea. Subs: Owen (T), Carr, Dudley, Pauls. 18th Man: .

Orrell St James: Causey, Hart, McLaughlin, Taylor (2T), Gallagher, Calland (G 4/4), Allen, Whittle, Cottrill, Griffith, Tordoff, Williams, Lewis (2T).  Subs: Charnock, Ellis, Taylor, Heaton. 18th Man: .

Half-Time: 24-6.

Full-Time: 28-24.

Score Progression: 4-0, 6-0, 10-0, 12-0, 12-4, 12-6, 16-6, 18-6, 22-6, 24-6 : HT: 28-6, 28-10, 28-12, 28-16, 28-18, 28-22, 28-24 :FT.

Lead Exchanges: Thatto Heath.

Referee: Alan Billington.