After sweeping aside the challenges of Bridgend Blue Bulls, The British Army and York Acorn, The Royal Navy came up against Betfred Championship opposition in the shape of the Batley Bulldogs who made their first appearance in this season’s competition.

The victors would join the North Wales Crusaders and eight other sides in the fifth-round draw of five matches with a chance to take on a Super League side in round six. Rochdale were massive favourites for the win and to make progress but there would be no telling the Navy that they should be the underdogs. Batley were playing up the slope in the first half.

Just under two minutes from the first hooter the Bulldogs were in for the opener as Jonny Campbell flew in at the corner and grounded spectacularly in the corner. Tom Gilmore was unable to add the conversion.

Batley were over for their second on eleven minutes after a break from George Senior found Tom Gilmore in centre field to go through a gap in the Navy defence for a try from ten metres out. Gilmore added the extras to his try for a 10-0 lead.

Expansive pay on the last tackle of fourteen minutes saw Campbell over again in the left corner as the home side exploited the overlap, already looking a class above the Navy who looked like they would be in for long afternoon. Gilmore was unable to add the extras, but the Bulldogs were scoring at a point a minute.

On twenty-one James Brown crashed over under the sticks for the fourth try of the afternoon and Gilmore added the conversion for 20-0, the Bulldogs cruising into the next round with only a quarter of the game gone and looking every inch like the semi-professional outfit that they are.

After getting a penalty on the Navy line on twenty-eight Senior was on hand to take the ball with a big gap ahead of him to go over. Gilmore added the conversion to bring up 26-0.

Perry Whiteley was next over the line for Batley when a long ball found him in acres of space wide right to cross from twenty metres and improve the angle. Gilmore added the conversion for 32-0 with thirty-two minutes on the clock.

A solo try from Alistair Leak with a few seconds remaining on the first half clock sealed an almost perfect first half for the home side. Gilmore added the extras to the seventh unanswered try of the afternoon with the home side having the downhill slope on their side in the second forty and being totally dominant.

The Navy held out for the opening seen minutes of the second half but a show and go from Senior finally created the space for the Batley half back to go over for his second of the afternoon. Gilmore added the conversion.

It was way too easy on fifty-two with another overlap allowing Batley in again through Josh Hodson. This time Gilmore was unable to add the conversion from the right touchline and two minutes later Gilmore crossed himself after running through a broken Navy defence and this time added the conversion for 54-0.

Just after the hour mark the Navy celebrated like a cup win when they broke their duck with a charge down the centre and a loose pass going into the hands of Matty Gaskell who had to go three metres to ground. Darren Bamford added the conversion for 6-54.

It was business resumed on sixty-nine with James Brown putting Jimmy Meadows over for his first try of the game and his sides eleventh. Gilmore was again accurate with the boot to bring up the sixty points.

Luke Hooley chimed into the line from full-back for his first try of the game and a ninth conversion from Gilmore made it 66-6.

There was never any chance that the Royal Navy would beat the Batley Bulldogs, but they would have hoped for a closer score line than the one which ended the game at Mount Pleasant this afternoon. There is no doubting the determination and heart of the forces side, but they were no match for a well drilled semi-professional outfit who eased comfortably into tomorrow night’s fifth round draw.

Batley Bulldogs: Hooley (T), Whiteley (T), Hodson (T), Senior (2T), Campbell (2T), Meadows (T), Gilmore (2T, 9G), Gledhill, Kaye, Brown (T), Buchanan, Walshaw, White. Subs: Leak (T), Ward, Manning, Lillycrop.

Navy: Houghton, Haldenby, Duffy, Bartlett, Dakuliga, Bamford (G), Cone, Griffiths, Tilley, Parry, Teixeira, Lee, Taylor. Subs: Gaskell (T), Johnson, Butler, Joel.

Half-Time: 38-0.

Full-Time: 66-6.

Score Progression: 4-0, 8-0, 10-0, 14-0, 18-0, 20-0, 24-0, 26-0, 30-0, 32-0, 36-0, 38-0 : HT : 42-0, 44-0, 48-0,  52-0, 54-0, 54-4, 54-6, 58-6, 60-6, 64-6, 66-6 : FT .

Referee: Liam Rush.