Featherstone Rovers finish strongly to claim victory over Halifax Panthers
Featherstone Rovers dominated the final quarter of Friday’s Betfred Championship clash against out-of-form Halifax Panthers to complete a 32-16 win.
The rivals were locked at 16-16 with 47 minutes played but three tries from Brad Day, Gareth Gale and James Glover propelled the hosts to the two points.
Sixth-placed Panthers are now without a win in their last five matches and are just a point ahead of Rovers, in seventh.
Keen to put their recent run of poor form behind them, the visitors broke the deadlock with only six minutes played, Ben Tibbs touching down and Jack Hansen adding the conversion.
Rovers hit back on 14 minutes with Ben Reynolds’ long pass finding Josh Hardcastle before he sent Gareth Gale over in the corner. Reynolds converted from the touchline to level matters.
Halifax hit back though and on 32 minutes, they stretched the Rovers defence before James Saltonstall raced over in the corner for an unconverted try.
The end-to-end action continued when Connor Wynne touched-down and Ben Reynolds’ goal edged Rovers into a two-point lead.
That lead was extended to 14-10 shortly before the interval thanks to Reynolds’ penalty but it was Halifax who made the better start to the second period to go 16-14 up.
Ben Crooks made a powerful line-break and found Hansen in support for and easy try again improved by Hansen.
Parity was restored once again however, Reynolds kicking a penalty awarded for a high tackle.
The match was very much in the balance but Rovers dominated the final stages and Reynolds put Day over for a try on 56 minutes to mark his 100th appearance for Rovers. Reynolds converted to give the home side a six-point lead.
Gale touched down in the right corner to round off a move involving Ryan Hampshire and that man Reynolds, who added the conversion, to stretch Rovers’ lead to ten points with 17 minutes left.
There was no way back for Halifax and Rovers kept their opponents at arm’s length in the closing stages, forcing the visitors into a string of handling errors in their increasing desperation to fight their way back into the contest.
Glover then put the icing on the cake for Rovers, picking up Crooks’ dropped ball to crash over unchallenged in the corner right on the hooter.
Featherstone Rovers: Aekins, Hardcastle, Glover, Wynne, Reynolds, Hampshire, Vuniyayawa, Jubb, Beckett, Day, Webb, Addy. Bench: Jones, Moran, Wilder, Springer.
Halifax Panthers: Nofoaluma, Crooks, Johnson, Saltonstall, Woodburn Hall, Hansen, Douglas, Inman, Calcott, McCarron, Tangata, Jobe. Bench: O’Brien, Tupaea, Fairbank, Cowen.