It is almost 25 years to the day that little Featherstone Rovers recorded the most recent of their three Challenge Cup triumphs and David Hobbs, the present coach, earned the Lance Todd Trophy for his magnificent two-try contribution in a 14-12 upset of Hull at Wembley Stadium.

Featherstone's established cup pedigree compared with Catalans Dragons' one appearance in last year's final - a fairytale run to the new Wembley that ended in grim reality at the hands of St Helens. The French club's road back began yesterday against the same opponents that they had thrashed by a club-record 70-12 in the fourth round in Perpignan.

Rovers were a different proposition on a raw, grey afternoon, embodying much of the spirit and determination that had carried Hobbs and his team-mates to glory on that May day in 1983. The struggling, part-time Co-operative National League One club failed ultimately to bridge the gap on the in-form, third-placed engage Super League side, but they managed to cause plenty of Gallic palpitations nevertheless.

On a bog of a pitch at the ground formerly known as Post Office Road - it is now called the Chris Moyles Stadium after a public relations wheeze - the Dragons had their wings clipped by the ferocity of the Featherstone forwards - especially Stuart Dickens and Tony Tonks, the props, and ingenuity at half back of Paul Handforth and Andy Kain.

When others were losing their heads in the Catalans side, the cool nous at stand-off of Thomas Bosc steered the relieved French side into tomorrow's fifth-round draw. There were times when the Dragons looked as though they would rather be anywhere else than in an arm-wrestle with a persistent Rovers side, who competed manfully for 80 minutes but just could not locate a killer blow, with crucial passes going to ground in a fast and furious final quarter.

Mick Potter, the coach, who is expected to give his decision this week on whether he will be staying at Catalans next season or moving to St Helens, said: “There was no point at which we could relax. Featherstone stayed strong throughout and they're a much better team than when we met them last year. If they'd have converted a couple of their opportunities, we could have been in big strife.”

Featherstone led after Tommy Haughey's searing break for the first of Waine Pryce's two tries in the sixteenth minute. Their defence held firm in the middle, but was especially vulnerable wide on the right, where all four Catalans tries were scored.

Justin Murphy grabbed the first of three in a profitable spell before half-time. Vincent Duport added two more, but a 16-4 lead was by no means convincing.

Andy Kirk pounced on Kain's probing kick for the second Rovers try, before Adam Mogg stretched the Dragons' advantage in the 49th minute. But for the last half-hour, Featherstone pounded the Catalans line. James Houston and the excellent Tommy Saxton were held up, but they finally found penetration out wide with Pryce's second try.

Had Dickens not missed all three conversions it might have been interesting, but it was a sign of Catalans' nervousness that Bosc elected to kick at goal late on to keep Rovers at arm's length. “We could have thrown the towel in, but we kept at it and that pleases me most about our effort,” Hobbs said.

- Warrington Wolves survived a scare to beat Leigh 28-16. Hull won 42-5 away to Rochdale. Wigan Warriors thrashed Pia, the French team, 74-4 and St Helens began their cup defence with a 56-0 rout of London Skolars.