For those of you who don't know, Illingworth hail from Halifax and play out of Illingworth sports and social club at Mason Green off Keighley Road. I'd driven past it quite a few times in the past without really realising it.

Third in the Pennine League Premier Division, Illingworth have the leakiest defence in the top half of the table - conceding more than twice the number of points than the two teams above them (and three times as many as the team directly below them!).

Their trip to Spotland is the fourth leg of their 2005 Challenge Cup odyssey, having already seen off Crosfields 22-10 in the preliminary round and Stanley Rangers 20-18 in round one.

In the last round they nicked a close game, beating Eccles 28-26. A late, late conversion by Dave Roberts put the lid on a huge Illingworth comeback after Eccles led 22-6 at one stage.

Tries by Andrew Laheney and Andy Greenway, plus two Roberts goals took them in 22-12 at the break. In the second half, A Daley Williams try put Illingworth right back in the game. A Darren Davidson try ten minutes from time chalked off an earlier Eccles effort and It was Williams who went in for the last gasp try that Roberts goaled to seal the game.

Last week, Illingworth 'warmed up' for their big cup adventure with a hard ground-out 32-24 win over a somewhat agricultural Keighley Albion in blizzard conditions on a glue-pot pitch. Several players caught the eye. With good hands and a strong, elusive running style, former Halifax Academy player Dean Williams looks like a handful at centre. His brother Daley came on as sub in the other centre position and, literally, punched way above his weight - landing a sweet uppercut on a stroppy prop three times his size late on in the game. But he plays a bit too - a member of the Yorkshire under 18 squad, Daley is currently the top try scorer in the Pennine Premier Division.

At half back, everything goes through non-stop No. 7 Graham Dobson. I was impressed with the way he set up a Dean Williams break with a neat chip into space near the end of the first half. He'll be hoping to shake off the calf injury that saw him carried from the game after an hour. Stand-off Dale Taylor was part of Siddal’s National Conference Premier winning side last season and his experience at a higher level shows. His armoury of close range kicks caused Albion all sorts of trouble.

Up front, busy hooker Darren Davison showed his pedigree as a former threequarter, darting well from acting half and scoring a try into the bargain. Loose forward - and captain - Andrew Laheney weighed in with an excellent try off the back of a long, looping run round the outside of the defence.

Also on the scoresheet last week were straight-running props Ashley Ainley and sub Andy Greenway. All-round, Illingworth are a work-hard unit that tackle in numbers and know what it takes to grind out a result. They've also got enough flair in the side to put you on the back foot if you give them enough room.

Having nailed 60-odd points on a try-hard Blackpool last week, Bobbie Goulding is now happier with his side's progress. For the first time this term, Hornets looked the part, the performance described by Mike Latham in the League Express as one of "... excellent cohesive teamwork marshalled by half backs John Braddish and Sam Butterworth."

We might expect much the same team this week - the only doubt being Kris Ratcliffe who took a heavy knock on the shoulder. This does, however, provide an opportunity for the return of Tommy Hodgkinson.

The Challenge Cup is a great competition. For us as much as Illingworth, it is an adventure. A chance to play teams you wouldn't usually play; a chance to see how far you can go; a chance to cause an upset of a bigger opponent; a chance to put your club on the map - and a chance to earn some much needed cash.

There's no doubt that Illingworth will raise their game on Sunday - with three double decker-fuls of fans behind them, their players will be looking for the game of their lives to get one over on (semi) professional opponents. This alone makes this stage of the Cup worth the admission money - and it generally proves that good quality Rugby League is played at levels you might not have considered.

No pro-side wants to be the victim of a team with a point to prove, so Hornets will have to be switched on from first whistle to final hooter. Illingworth's Cup adventure has brought them a long way - and ours starts here. So get on board, get down to Spotland and get behind the lads.

Who knows where it'll go from here?