Refreshingly there’s no pre-match hype or boasts coming out of West Hull ahead of their Challenge Cup clash with Whitehaven.

Assistant coach Johan Windley admits his main focus is on the following week’s trip to west Cumbria and the opening Conference Premier Division clash with Wath Brow.

“We will probably have a couple of debutants in against Whitehaven because we have used our friendlies and Challenge Cup games to look at everybody in the squad," said Windley.

“Obviously, we want to play well and put in a good performance but what we are really looking at is the Conference season."

The Humberside club will be looking to improve on last season’s efforts when they finished runners-up to Siddal.

In recent years they haven’t had a particularly good record in the Challenge Cup, but pride of place on the clubhouse wall is a picture of the team that beat York in the 1980’s.

“We haven’t watched Whitehaven but we know they will be organised and prepared," added Windley.

"I know James Newton from his time at Hull FC when I was helping out and I’m sure they will have some good players.

“We have a couple of current BARLA internationals in our squad while a third moved to League One side Oxford in the winter."

The coach admits West Hull were a bit fortunate to make the third round after the winning points against Thatto Heath came off the last play.

He said: “We thought it had gone but Ryan Wilson barged over and Craig Skelton, who is an experienced kicker, put over the conversion for the 18-16 win.

“It was great to get a game against a team that was in the Championship last season."