WARRINGTON Wolves' 300th Challenge Cup game was not one for the memory banks despite it being the team's highest win of the season so far.

The action was not pretty and Saturday's atmosphere at The Halliwell Jones Stadium was muted because of the attendance of less than 5,000 supporters.

But Wolves' second-half showing was much more pleasing to the eye than the first as Paul Cullen's men powered into the fifth round with 13 of the players that were embarrassed by Hull KR - then a National League One side - in the quarter finals of last year's competition.

Wolves' forwards dominated and particularly got on top in the second half despite losing props Rob Parker and Paul Wood with injuries a few minutes either side of the interval.

Big men Chris Leikvoll and Paul Rauhihi produced arguably their best performances of the season so far, especially in the second half after Wolves turned around only 10-4 ahead.

And their inspirational surges forward were needed because Wolves had to rely on booming kicks from Chris Bridge on his 50th appearance for the club and off-the-cuff running from impressive Stuart Reardon and Henry Fa'afili to make any headway in the first half.

Leikvoll's efforts deserved a try but he had a second-half touchdown controversially ruled out by video referee Steve Ganson.

Rauhihi's superb round-the-man pass set up the first of outstanding Vinnie Anderson's two tries early in the second period and the prop's display was rewarded with the last try of the game, his first in the Challenge Cup and his first since that wonderful virtuoso' performance against Leeds Rhinos last May.

Brent Grose, replacing the injured Paul Johnson in the left centre, continued his improving form.

He had gone 13 games without scoring but crossed for the opening try as well as the one which finished off Rovers and put Wolves 26-10 ahead with five minutes to go.

But Wolves, who were also missing the injured Lee Briers, Adrian Morley and Simon Grix, will know that to progress in the competition they will have to play better than they did against a side missing five of its own star men.

Match facts.

Carnegie Challenge Cup Fourth Round, March 31, 2007.

Warrington Wolves 38.

Hull KR 10.

Wolves: Stuart Reardon (1t); Henry Fa'afili, Martin Gleeson, Brent Grose (2t), Richie Barnett; Chris Bridge (1t, 5g), Jon Clarke; Chris Leikvoll, Mark Gleeson, Paul Wood, Ben Westwood, Mike Wainwright, Vinnie Anderson (2t). Subs used: Michael Sullivan, Rob Parker, Steve Pickersgill, Paul Rauhihi (1t).

Rovers: Ben Cockayne; Jon Steel, Luke Dyer, Andreas Bauer, Byron Ford; Scott Murrell, Matty Brooks; Makali Aizue, Ben Fisher, Jim Gannon, Jason Netherton, Danny Ward, Tommy Gallagher. Subs used: Gareth Morton (1g), Kirk Netherton (1t), Dave Wilson, David Tangata-Toa (1t).

Referee: Richard Silverwood.

Scoring: Reardon's counter-attack breaks up Rovers' defence and allows Anderson to feed Grose for a try, 10mins; Clarke's pass is intercepted by Tangata-Toa who races 35m unopposed, 13mins, 4-4; Clarke kicks ahead twice from Rauhihi's wild pass and Reardon swoops on the loose ball before powering past two defenders and touching down, 38mins, Bridge goals, 10-4; Rauhihi's superb round-the-man pass allows Anderson to charge home, 45mins, Bridge slots the goal, 16-4; Bridge uses Martin Gleeson as a foil and dummies his way to the line, 56mins, Bridge converts, 22-4; Kirk Netherton burrows over from dummy half, 68mins, Morton tags on the extras, 22-10; Grose spots a hole and squeezes over from acting half back, 80mins, 26-10; Grose busts the line and feeds Barnett with his inside pass sending Anderson flying over, 83mins, Bridge hits the target, 32-10; Bridge took on half of the Rovers defence with a dancing run before supplying Rauhihi for a crash-over try, 85mins, Bridge converts, 38-10.

Pens: Wolves 15 Rovers 7.

Scrums: Wolves 7 Rovers 6.

Attendance: 4,523.

Warrington Guardian top men: Reardon 3pts, Leikvoll 2pts, Rauhihi 1pt.

Interesting note: Wolves have never lost at home to KR in the Challenge Cup.