BLADES stunned Super League title favourites Leopards by sending them out of the Mike Johns Memorial Handicap Knockout on Wednesday.

A 5-4 success keeps them on course to win the competition for the first time.

Kinetics repeated a trick from the previous round, beating another higher-ranked opponent – this time after a decider – in the form of Crusaders.

Victoria Club are through after overturning a handicap deficit to ease past Hawks, while Valiants proved too strong for Winsford.

Division One side Team Hut ended Lemmings’ involvement.

Mike Perks won two of his three head-to-heads for Snakes, but it was not enough to prevent defeat against Wolves.

Bears, favourites to win the Division Three title when the new season starts, made it to the last eight following a 5-4 success against two-man Falcons.

The last eight line-up is completed by Tigers, who squeezed past top-flight rivals Raptors.

First Round: Bears 5 Falcons 4; Blades 5 Leopards 4; Crusaders 4 Kinetics 5; Snakes 2 Wolves 7; Team Hut 5 Lemmings 1; Tigers 5 Raptors 3; Victoria 5 Hawks 1; Winsford 1 Valiants 6

Additional reporting by Ryan Ratcliffe