The lowest placed league side remaining in the 2022 Betfred Challenge Cup, the North Wales Crusaders, hosted a round five tie against the Sheffield Eagles as both sides looked to secure a place in the last sixteen and a chance to take on Super League opposition.

As a side in the top half of the 2022 Championship table, the Eagles were big pre-match favourites to overcome the Championship One side whose league programme has not yet started, but have beaten Leigh Miners Rangers, Swinton Lions and Hunslet.

The sunshine welcomed the sides onto the pitch at Stadiwm Eirias in Colwyn Bay after a two-and-a-half-hour drive west for the visitors.

Great early pressure from the Crusaders and they forced a goal line dropout with two minutes on the clock. On the next set Tommy Johnson chimed into the line to take the ball fifteen from the line, dummy left and go through a big gap to score five in from the left touchline. The full back couldn´t add the conversion to his own try but it was an early warning for the Eagles.

The Eagles went on the attack from the kick-off and on seven minutes Liam Johnson took a short pass from Anthony Thackeray to go in from ten metres. Izaac Farrell added the conversion to give his side the lead.

On ten minutes a determined run from Matty Chrimes, shrugging off three tackles in a sixty-metre run to dive over the line. Once again Farrell slotted his goal between the uprights for 12-4.

The Eagles were turning on the style and keeping the ball alive, seemingly offloading out of every tackle. After a late tackle by Patrick Ah Van the Eagles opted to tap the ball and on the last tackle Thackeray reversed over the line and got the ball onto the ground. Farrell was again accurate with the boot and after the early set back the side from Sheffield were in full control.

Chrimes got his second on twenty-three after taking a pass ten out and running the angle to dive in at the corner and ground one-handed. This time Farrell was unable to convert from the left touchline but at 22-4 the Eagles already had one foot in the next round.

Brad Billsborough was held up over the line on twenty-nine and two tackles later Gav Rodden put in a delightful pass for Johnson to get his second of the game for the Crusaders. This time he added the extras for 10-22.

An off the ball tackle by the Crusaders on thirty-eight saw Rodden sin-binned and the home side down to twelve men and right in the half time hooter an Izaac Farrell kick over the top was chased by Chrimes who outpace Ah Van to collect and ground ten in from the left touchline, his hat-trick try. Farrell added the conversion for 28-10 after an entertaining first forty.

Chrimes was held up over the line on forty-four as he went for his fourth try of the afternoon but three plays later Blake Broadbent took a Thackeray pass to crash over the line. Farrell added his fifth try of the afternoon for 34-10.

It was becoming a procession on fifty-one with a walk-in try for Kris Welham to score down the right-hand side. This time Farrell was unable to add the conversion.

A summersaulting Chrimes did get his fourth try on fifty-five when he took the ball ten from the line and dived for the corner. Farrell converted brilliantly from the touchline to make the score 44-10.

Thackeray was the provider again, this time for Joel Farrell as the big second rower took a soft pass to crash the line and go under the sticks to touch down. His brother added the conversion, and it was fifty for the Eagles.

A sixty-fourth minute consolation from Jack Holmes taking a massive Jordy Gibson miss-out pass to go outside the Eagles winger and ground in the corner. Johnson couldn´t convert from the touchline.

Bayley Liu was sent off on sixty-nine minutes after a high tackle, the Eagles down a man for the remainder of the game and two plays from the resulting penalty Ah Van went over in the right corner. Johnson was wide with his conversion attempt.

On seventy-four the forwards made another try for the Crusaders when Callum Hazzard hit the line at speed and forced the ball onto the ground. This time Johnson added the extras for 24-50.

With a minute remaining Ben Jones-Bishop failed to deal with a Holmes kick though a Rodden won the chase to get one had on the ball before it went dead in goal. Johnson added the extras for 30-50.

Although the Crusaders had their moments, sadly for the home crowd they were few and far between. The Sheffield Eagles played some sensational rugby in amassing a big score and easily progressing to the sixth-round draw on Monday evening.

North Wales Crusaders: Johnson (T, 5G), Ah Van (T), Swarbrick, Reid, Holmes (T), Billsborough, Gibson, Hazzard (T), Rainford, Barratt, Sherratt, Rodden (T, SB on 38), Fletcher. Subs: Briers, Brennan, Houghton, Eckley.

Sheffield Eagles: Bass, Jones-Bishop, Welham (T), Oakes, Chrimes (4T), Farrell I (7G), Thackeray (T), Kirk, Halafihi, Johnson (T), Farrell J (T), Hodgson. Subs: Wood, Broadbent (T), Reilly, Liu (SO on 69).

Half-Time:10-28.

Full-Time: 30-50.

Score Progression: 4-0, 4-4, 4-6, 4-10, 4-12, 4-16, 4-18, 4-22, 8-22, 10-22, (SB), 10-26, 10-28 : HT : 10-32, 10-34, 10-38, 10-42, 10-44, 10-48, 10-50, 14-50, (SO), 18-50, 22-50, 24-50, 28-50, 30-50 : FT .

Referee: Liam Rush.