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Last Updated: Thursday, 2 February 2006, 14:59 GMT
Road to Wembley: Round One
By Julian Shea

Richard Swain and John Kear celebrate Hull's win over Leeds in 2005
The village of Skirlaugh lies just 11 miles north of Hull, winners of last year's Powergen Challenge Cup

An early Cup exit can often kill off a coach's career, and on Saturday either Normanton Knights or Skirlaugh will suffer the disappointment of a first round exit from the Powergen Challenge Cup.

But regardless of who wins on Saturday, do not expect any changes as both teams are still displaying "under new management" signs.

In the case of Hull-based club Skirlaugh, Richard Gotts and Colin Brown are the new landlords, promoted to the senior side after success coaching the club's A team.

At Normanton, just outside Leeds, Richard Hampshire and Mark Webster are the new duo on the sidelines.

And as Webster told BBC Sport, change had to happen.

"It seems to have lifted the spirits of the whole club and given us a spring in our step," he said.

"It needed a lift. Things were dwindling away and the club were worried about folding through a lack of players.

"People were getting disheartened and not turning up for training, but results have definitely picked up and we had our biggest win of the season last week."

While Normanton may have struggled to raise a team, Skirlaugh coach Gotts says he has almost too many players to choose from.

"Hull has always been a massive rugby league town, there are so many players coming through that they have to really stand out to get noticed," he said.

"A lot of the lads in their early 30s have retired, so we've gone through a transition period. This is a very young side and they're all local."

Gotts and Brown played together for years, originally at Rochdale Hornets, before Brown went on to Hull KR and York.

Their Normanton counterparts, Hampshire and Webster, are another double act going back years.

And if the fact that Webster is a newly qualified prison officer does not command respect from his players, then his playing achievements should do.

"I played a few friendlies for St Helens, then had seven years at Wakefield. The furthest we ever got in the Cup was the quarter-final, where we lost to Bradford," he says.

The demands of prison officer training have confined Webster to the sidelines recently, so he is unlikely to play on Saturday.

If they have an off-day and we have a lucky day, we might have a chance
Normanton's Mark Webster

And even though their form has improved, he admits the Knights will have their work cut out against a team two divisions above them.

"I played against Skirlaugh a few years ago and they have a very good set-up," he said.

"If they have an off-day and we have a lucky day, we might have a chance. It's a massive game for us."

In true Cup fashion, Gotts is taking nothing for granted despite his side's tag as favourites.

"This is a big opportunity for Normanton," he said.

"They're going to come full of enthusiasm and wanting to turn us over so we'll have to be on our guard."




SEE ALSO
Road to Wembley: Preliminary Rnd
06 Jan 06 |  Challenge Cup


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