Featherstone Rovers reclaimed second spot on the Kingstone
Press Championship league ladder after a 20 – 4 triumph over Halifax.
In what was labelled the ‘£250k game’, the Rovers ran riot
in the opening 20 minutes, where Jason Crookes grabbed a hat-trick.
Andy Hay’s side would not score a single point for the
remainder of the game. However, Ben Johnston’s try on 57 minutes wasn’t the
catalyst Fax needed for a spirited comeback.
Two minutes had gone on the clock when Crookes grabbed his
first four pointer, after finishing a sweeping move in the right corner.
Crookes would again get his name on the score sheet ten
minutes later, Andy Kain’s cross-field kick was flicked on by Ian Hardman and
Crookes audaciously planted the ball down.
Kain was proving to be a handful for Fax during the 20
minute onslaught from their West Yorkshire rivals. And he provided more misery
for Karl Harrison’s men when he sent Sean Pick in.
The former Bradford and Hull FC winger sealed his first half
hat-trick on 21 minutes, when once again, Rovers went down the right. Hardman
put his winger over, Gareth Moore landed the touchline conversion.
Fax nearly gave themselves a lifeline close to the break
when they finally found themselves in Rovers’ half. But, Ryan Fieldhouse’s long
pass to Tommy Saxton found touch.
Halifax had the upper hand in the second half, as Rovers
seemed to cool off slightly. But, just when it looked as though the three
points would be made for certain. Fieldhouse intercepted an Andy Bostock pass
to get into Featherstone territory. From the next play, Saxton offloaded to Ben
Johnston to cross. Steve Tyrer failed to add the extras.
Karl Harrison’s men failed to get over the whitewash again
despite applying some pressure on their opponents by forcing a few goal-line
dropouts.
However, the rampaging Rovers in the opening quarter of the
game proved to be sufficient for Featherstone to regain second place, and to
end Fax’s unbeaten run of nine games.
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