Everything that has been good and bad about Halifax in 2008 was laid bare at Post Office Road, as Matt Calland's side prepared for the play offs in typically flamboyant - and flawed - fashion.
We had the customary slow start, Rovers, with nothing to play for other than pride on the final day of their season, roaring into an 18-0 lead while Fax were still on the metaphorical bus.
That advantage had stretched to a potentially matchwinning 32-12 four minutes before the break, with the visitors looking anything but a side that was about to embark on a play off campaign as they stumbled and fumbled their way through the majority of the half.
Then, suddenly, came the start of the trademark comeback, with two Jon Goddard touchdowns immediately before the interval slashing the deficit to 32-24.
Calland then lit the blue touchpaper with a half time telling off of apparently epic proportions, prompting a blistering second half perfomance that yielded superbly eight superbly constructed tries.
Even then, Fax could not find the ruthlessness to really take Rovers to the cleaners, with two Paul Handforth tries in the third quarter briefly giving a frankly ridiculous 46-44 scoreline in favour of the visitors before they pulled clear in the last 10 minutes.
A famous rugby league commentator used to have a habit of exclaiming, breathlessly: "It's just like basketball."
And this certainly was.
The upshot was an afternoon that thrilled on the terraces but caused not inconsiderable angst in the coaching box, where Calland must be wondering how he can finally turn his side's undoubted potential into something more tangible before a distinctly tricky play off opener against Widnes in two weeks' time.
There is no doubt that when Fax turn it on, as they did at times in the second period, there are few sides that can live with their pace and invention.
Equally, unless they suddenly learn to pay more attention to the game's most basic elements, they will remain an accident waiting to happen.
The opening exchanges had been little short of ludicrous, with Rovers almost scoring inside 60 seconds through Handforth before stand off Anthony Thackeray, on loan from Castleford after famously turning down a switch to the Shay earlier in the year, scored after following up his own kick.
Stuart Dickens converted for 6-0, and with the Fax defence absent without leave, the home side had soon scored twice more through Thackeray and another loanee, Wakefield's former Fax junior Joe Hirst.
When Fax did finally manage to get possession, they were soon off the mark, Paul Southern thundering in after Thomas Coyle, starting at half back in place of the injured Ben Black, turned the ball back inside.
Graham Holroyd converted, and when Frank Watene - the visitors' only consistent source of forward momentum - and Miles Greenwood combined to set up Shad Royston, Holroyd converting for 18-12, it was already clear there would be no shortage of tries.
Rovers promptly piled on another three in nine minutes, Andy Kain, Hirst and Matty Dale all going over to open up a 20-point lead.
Goddard sliced under the posts two minutes before the break though, and when Paul Smith and Sean Penkywicz carved the home side open on the stroke of half time, the centre was on hand to claim his second, Holroyd's goal taking Fax to within eight points.
Fax improved out of sight in the second half, keeping Penkywicz and Mark Gleeson on the field together and tormenting Rovers with their speed in the middle of the park.
It took nine minutes for the floodgates to open, Richard Varkulis bursting through some tired tackles straight from a scrum and Holroyd kicking Fax to within two at 32-30.
Even though the visitors were still behind, there only ever looked like one winner after that, and Fax duly got their noses in front when Varkulis sent the evergreen Damian Gibson in with 26 minutes remaining.
Royston then romped in as Holroyd got his passing game into gear and Penkywicz waltzed over after Greenwood's slashing breaking down the middle.
Holroyd's goals put Fax 46-32 ahead, before a near-miss from Greenwood, the full back losing the ball in the act of scoring, gave Rovers some possession which Handforth all too easily turned into two tries, Dickens' goals making it 46-44.
But Gibson grabbed a second and a third inside the last 10 minutes to push the score out to 56-44 and Handforth compounding Rovers' woe by getting himself sent off for dissent after finally losing patience with Castleford official Robert Hicks.
There was still time for Lee Patterson to claim two tries on the opposite flank, the first after a great kick from Holroyd and the second a neat finish by the corner flag, as Fax brought the curtain down on a frankly insane afternoon.

MATCH FACTS
Featherstone Rovers: Loz Wildbore; Scott Wilson, Tommy Saxton, Steve Dooler, Andy Kirk; Anthony Thackeray, Paul Handforth; Tony Tonks, Jack Lee, Stuart Dickens, Jamie Field, Joe Hirst, Richard Blakeway. Subs: Andy Kain, James Houston, Sean Hesketh, Matty Dale
Tries: Thackeray (2), Hirst (2), Handforth (2), Kain, Dale
Goals: Dickens (5), Handforth
Sent off: Handforth, 73, dissent

Halifax: Miles Greenwood; Lee Patterson, Jon Goddard, James Haley, Damian Gibson; Graham Holroyd, Thomas Coyle; Paul Southern, Mark Gleeson, Danny Heaton, Richard Varkulis, Paul Smith, Shad Royston.
Subs: Sean Penkywicz, Joe Walsh, David Wrench, Frank Watene
Tries: Patterson (2), Goddard (2), Gibson (3), Southern, Varkulis, Royston (2), Penkywicz
Goals: Holroyd (8)
Referee: Robert Hicks (Castleford)

STARMAN
It is increasingly obvious that Halifax's current attacking form is linked pretty inextricably to the form of prop Frank Watene.
It's a simple equation: when Watene is on the field, taking those rumbustuous charges in midfield, the likes of Sean Penkywicz and Mark Gleeson have a platform to weave their magic from.
When Watene is on the bench, catching his breath, Fax end up being forced sideways and look considerably less threatening.
That was certainly the case at Post Office Road yesterday, with the big man earning himself another three point haul in the season-long Star Man competition.
Not far behind was centre Jon Goddard, who seemed to be everywhere on the field, in both attack and defence.
Goddard scored two crucial tries, stuck to Rovers' dangerman Tom Saxton like glue for most of the game, and generally looked like he was prepared to find that extra 10 per cent effort that Fax are going to need over the next few weeks.
The final point goes to skipper Sean Penkywicz, who just shades another all action hooker in Mark Gleeson.
After a solid comeback outing against Celtic Crusaders last weekend, Penkywicz looked sharper again yesterday.
Fax will be hoping the best is yet to come from the little number nine.

PLAYER POINTS
Paul Smith 17, James Haley 16, Sean Penkywicz 15, Frank Watene 13, Graham Holroyd 11, Jon Goddard 8, Craig Kopczak 8, Andy Smith 8, Lee Patterson 7, Mark Flanagan 7, Janan Billings 7, Shad Royston 6, Ben Black 6, Mark Gleeson 6, Dana Wilson 5, Miles Greenwood 5, Dave Larder 4, Paul Southern 4, Richard Varkulis 4, Mike Ratu 3, Joe Walsh 3, Andy Gorski 2, Mick Govin 2, David Wrench 1

YOU SAY
Well done holly with the record. My hero.
- Inoffski

terrible first half but much more go forward in the second . Well done holly with the record and gibbo with the treble. Varks my man of the match. Come on now boys for the business end of the season.
- Peter

great second half gibbo what a come back
- blunder

STAT ATTACK
Featherstone
Completions
First half: 15/20
Second half: 10/12
Penalties
First half: 6
Second half: 2

Halifax
Completions
First half: 12/20
Second half: 18/22
Penalties
First half: 5
Second half: 5