Dai Thomas, gave Mid-Rhondda some respectability, losing the match 20–6. Australia's Dally Messenger, one of rugby league's greatest players, scored two tries and four goals during the match. The Australia game was followed by an away loss to Swinton, but the next game, a NU encounter with Merthyr, saw Mid-Rhondda achieve their very first victory, winning 7–3. The next six games were of mixed fortunes, with victories over Aberdare and Barry, but the club were still finding the Northern clubs difficult to beat, losing heavily to both Bradford Northern and Hull F.C. On 12 December, the club played in their first Challenge Cup match, and were drawn against fellow Rhondda team, Treherbert. In a close encounter, Mid-Rhondda won 8–7, opening up a tie in the next round to Barry. The second round cup game took place just two weeks later, with Mid-Rhondda winning 2–0 to take them into the quarter-finals. The season continued in a familiar pattern for Mid-Rhondda with fair success over the Welsh teams, but being unable to beat the English teams. The club beat Barry in the Northern League and Welsh League, managed a double victory over Aberdare and Merthyr and a win and a loss to Treherbert. Amongst these games there were loses to Broughton Rangers (0–6), Swinton (7–16) and Hull (7–15). On 27 February, the club faced Hunslet in the quarter-finals of the Challenge Cup; however Hunslet proved too strong, with their star player Billy Batten scoring four tries in a 25–5 victory over the Welshmen. Mid-Rhondda finished the season with a record of 18 games played in the Northern League, five won, one drawn and twelve loses, leaving them 24th out of 31 clubs. Switch to association At the end of the season the club officials stated that they had not been happy with the low attendances and financial rewards offered by the Northern Union game. In April 1909, the Athletic Ground played host to the final of the South Wales and Monmouthshire Association Football Cup, played between Merthyr Town and Ton Pentre. The game, won by Ton Pentre 2–0, was watched by a crowd of 8,000, an attendance figure Mid-Rhondda only matched when they faced the touring Australians. After the match, the Mid-Rhondda chairman stated that the financial position under the Northern Union had not realised expectations, and that as far as club could see, soccer was the coming game. In July 1909,