SUNDAY’S keenly-awaited Betfred Challenge Cup first round fixture between Siddal and Waterhead Warriors has been postponed.

An unfit pitch, given the recent adverse weather, has ruled out any possibility of play.

Today’s other scheduled fixtures, however (between Bedford Tigers and Medway Dragons, and Banbridge Broncos of Northern Ireland and Welsh outfit Aberavon Fighting Irish) are likely to go ahead, Totalrl.com understands.

The tie at Siddal joins eight which couldn’t go ahead on Saturday due to the freezing weather conditions.

The fixtures between Heworth and the RAF, Brighouse Rangers and Lock Lane, and Wigan St Judes and Leigh Miners Rangers, were late casualties on Saturday.

Early morning pitch inspections had already led to couple of ties in Leeds being added to the three called off on Friday; play in the matches between Stanningley and Dewsbury Moor Maroons, and Woodhouse Warriors and Mirfield Spartans, had been ruled out because of unfit grounds.

All postponed games are scheduled for next Saturday (17 January).

The fixture between Rochdale Mayfield and Ince Rose Bridge, which was to have been broadcast live on BBC iPlayer, was announced on Friday as having fallen victim to a frozen pitch.

The meetings of Midlands side Telford Raiders and London Chargers, and that involving King Cross Park and West Hull, had also gone by the wayside.