Hooker Shaun Lunt scored a hat-trick as Huddersfield eased through to the quarter-finals of the Carnegie Challenge Cup with a seven-try victory over gallant part-timers Rochdale.

Even without 10 senior players, who were either injured or rested, the Giants had too much power and pace for the Championship One strugglers, who themselves were without a host of regulars through injury.

Hornets had Brett Robinson, Dave Houghton and Matt Strong making their debuts after being signed on loan from Widnes and all made useful contributions in a battling effort.

Even after trailing 32-0 the visitors never gave up and they twice cracked the second best defence in Super League to add a touch of respectability to the scoreboard.

The result, though, was academic from the moment Huddersfield scrum-half Luke Robinson jinked his way through the Hornets defence for the game's first try after six minutes.

Lunt forced his way over from dummy half four minutes later and then second rower Larne Patrick showed a nice turn of pace over 30 metres to score his first try for the club.

Teenage hooker Keal Carlile also notched his first try, just a minute after making his debut as a substitute, and Patrick carved out a try for centre Jamahl Lolesi just before half-time, when the Giants led 26-0.

Lunt, who demonstrated his versatility by switching to loose forward and stand-off, added his second try within four minutes of the re-start but Rochdale finally broke their duck on 52 minutes when centre Mick Fogerty leapt high to touch down Martin Ainscough's high kick.

That gave the part-timers just the encouragement they needed and Ainscough grabbed a second try from Robinson's grubber kick, with Chris Giles kicking his second conversion to make it 32-12.

Lunt fittingly had the final say when he burrowed his way over from close range to complete his hat-trick five minutes from the end and full-back Leroy Cudjoe kicked his fifth conversion.