Historic Beverley

Beverley were the last amateur side to put a professional club out of the Silk Cut Challenge Cup or its equivalent, when they beat Ebbw Vale 7-2 in 1909, and yesterday they resumed their giant-killing activities when they knocked out Highfield wit h a 27-4 victory.

The Yorkshiremen, coached by the former Great Britain captain, Len Casey, went in front after 15 minutes when Sean Olsen scored an unconverted try, and tries by Scott Sullivan and Steve Larvine, with a conversion by Paul Hunter, who also dropped a goal, gave them a 15-0 half-time lead.

The prop-forward Mike Cator went over four minutes into the second half, Hunter adding the goal. Norman Barrow replied with a 51st-minute unconverted try for Highfield, but a penalty try awarded to Lee Stainforth 18 minutes from the end completed the historic win for the Humberside League team. To compound Highfield's misery Barrow was sent off in the 68th-minute for a high tackle.

In the league, Featherstone overcame 11-man Doncaster 34-16 to improve their chances of avoiding relegation with their first victory since October.

Doncaster looked out of the game when they had two men sent off. Centre Vila Matautia went in the 28th minute for a high tackle and hooker Colin Maskill was dismissed a minute later for an off-the-ball incident.

They levelled at 16-16, however, before Brett Rodger, the New Zealander on a month's trial, got his first try in the 64th minute and a second six minutes later. Featherstone finished off with two tries in the last three minutes from Darren Hughes and Carl Gibson, with Mark Aston kicking his fifth goal.