Challenge Cup Round 1

[TonyH]

Dunno if anyones interested but we made it through to the 1st round of the Challenge Cup last Sunday with a 46-10 defeat of Gloucester University. It was a massive game for us as it was the first time ever we had been invited into the Challenge Cup as we have ambitions of becoming a Championship side by 2020. We had just under 1000 spectators at the game which for a Challenge Cup Preliminary round in a none Rugby League hotbed is pretty awesome. Our promotional team did a fantastic job at promoting the game handing out thousands of flyers outside the Northampton Saints RU stadium before their game with Edinburgh, our coaches were on BBC Radio Northampton and the game was advertised in local newspapers.

Proudest moment for me was walking out onto the pitch with my 4 year old son dressed in his Demons kit (It will be my forum image soon!)

We have Leeds Met University at home this Sunday in the 1st round who by all accounts are a good side. Seems like a lot of people are writing us off already with comments like 'Leeds Met put 76 past Gloucester you only put 46' that maybe so but we missed 10 kicks because the wind was blowing a gale plus we have home advantage and another noisy crowd expected at Demon Park on Sunday. If anyone on here is from that area you should get down for a 1.30pm KO.

http://www.northamptonrl.co.uk

Tony

[josie andrews]

Well done to you & your team Tony :eusa2: :eusa2:

Good Luck in the next round

[Stormfan]

Congrats Tony..
I hope you keep us all posted with the results of your games. :eusa3:

[ancientnloyal]

Had an eye on the CC scores, some pretty tight games also! Well done tony and keep it up.

[TonyH]

Thanks for all the well wishes guys, we lost out to Leeds Met yesterday 26-12. For a side who have only been in existence for 4 years to come this far is a big achievement, I am sore as hell today but will be recovering with good carbs and an ice bath/stretch, we matched them for fitness and physicality but they were better technically than us at finding the floor and playing the ball quicker, their kicking game was immense as well kept turning us around, they are a very good side Leeds Met and have ambitions of making the 4th round this year, still we are a proud team and did ourselves justice, Leeds Met would probably beat a number of teams in Championship 1 and 2.

Whats next for the Demons? Few weeks off then back in for pre season on the 2nd March so strength and conditioning work for us over the next few weeks, looking forward to our trip to Cardiff and also the WCC, if anyone see's a group wearing black and yellow hoodies with Northampton RL on please come over and say hello, we are a spot on group of people - prone to acts of lunacy (We are banned from the set of any BBC TV show after breaking into the Eastenders set in 2009) but always up for a bit of banter.

Cheers again

Tony

[josie andrews]

Well done on the achievements of your team up to now, & good luck for the future