FEATHERSTONE ROVERS 68 INCE ROSE BRIDGE 0
JACOB KILBRIDE, Millennium Stadium, Sunday
THIS victory was as straightforward as they come for Featherstone.
Twelve tries scored, none conceded and a place in round four of the Challenge Cup safely secured against amateur opposition.
Most importantly this was another 80 competitive minutes into the legs of Rovers’ new-look squad, evidenced by the selection of ten off-season signings in their 17.
That seven tries were scored by those new faces will have no doubt pleased boss James Ford as they seek an improvement on last season’s sixth-placed finish in the Championship.
For Ince Rose Bridge, the size of the task facing the National Conference League Division One outfit was reflected by the scoreline, though their spirit throughout was admirable.
Featherstone needed just seven minutes to open their account for the afternoon.
An ill-disciplined Bridge conceded two penalties and two set restarts in quick succession, gifting Rovers the field position for Thomas Lacans to deliver a raking wide cut-out pass and give Gareth Gale a walk-in at the left corner.
Not that going behind deterred Ince Rose’s vocal travelling support, who cheered every tackle and carry from Bridge early on and roared with gusto at the sight of a Josh Hardcastle knock-on.
Gale snuffed out Mason Fillingham’s early chip in the resultant set before Featherstone broke down the other end and doubled their lead when ex-New Zealand Warriors prop King Vuniyayawa crashed onto a Jimmy Beckett short pass.
Fellow debutant Derrell Olpherts also marked his first appearance with a try, barging over the top of Bridge’s cover defence after Caleb Aekins’ miss-out ball.
Interchanges Danny Addy and Jordan Williams combined for the latter to stroll over and Olpherts completed his first-half double after finishing a right-flank break from Clay Webb in broken field.
Danny Addy successfully took over the kicking duties for the final first-half score, replacing Calum Turner, who had earlier converted thrice from four attempts.
Featherstone picked up from where they left off early in the second half as Williams twisted over from close range and, to further compound Ince Rose’s wounds, centre Jamie Malone was sin-binned for dissent.
Down to twelve men, Bridge conceded twice in three minutes as Rovers’ class began to tell. Addy showed clever deception to throw a pass inside for Beckett before another superb Lacans long ball sent Gale in again.
Ince Rose were back to the full complement for only three minutes as Kallem Rodgers saw yellow for a late hit on Lacans, not that the knock deterred the Frenchman, who returned to his feet to score two tries and create another.
A sublime halfway-line dummy and some silky footwork earned his first before he gratefully received an inside pass from Gale to walk for his second. And sandwiched in-between, Lacans put new recruit Sitaleki Akauola through a gap down the left channel.
With six minutes left, Addy scythed through before releasing Webb to finish before the assister added a seventh goal from eight efforts.
GAMESTAR: Mercurial halfback Thomas Lacans’ two assists for Gareth Gale were things of beauty, as was his wonderful second-half solo try.
GAMEBREAKER: King Vuniyayawa’s close-range try was a sore blow for Ince Rose after a rare good-ball set and began a three-try spell within just ten minutes.
MATCHFACTS
ROVERS
1 Caleb Aekins
2 Derrell Olpherts
24 Bailey O’Connor
4 Jayden Hatton
5 Gareth Gale
22 Calum Turner
18 Thomas Lacans
16 King Vuniyayawa
9 Will Jubb
10 Jimmy Beckett
15 Sitaleki Akauola
20 Josh Hardcastle
17 Clay Webb
Subs (all used)
13 Danny Addy
14 Connor Jones
19 Robson Stevens
21 Jordan Williams
Tries: Gale (7, 49), Vuniyayawa (15), Olpherts (21, 38), Williams (25, 43), Beckett (46), Lacans (62, 72), Akauola (65), Webb (74)
Goals: Turner 3/4, Addy 7/8
BRIDGE
1 Mason Fillingham
2 Kallem Rodgers
3 Jamie Malone
4 Jordan Blakeley
5 Calum Hughes
6 Peter Valentine
7 Reece Bushell
8 Reece Cunningham
9 Byron Aspinall
10 Casey Shaw
11 Harry Parry
12 Kyle Malone
13 Robbie Valentine
Subs (all used)
15 Craig Sanby
16 Keegan Boyd
17 TJ Boyd
18 Jack Morrison
Sin bin: Malone (46) – dissent, Rodgers (59) – dangerous tackle
SCORING SEQUENCE: 4-0, 10-0, 16-0, 22-0, 28-0; 34-0, 40-0, 46-0, 50-0, 56-0, 62-0, 68-0
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Rovers: Thomas Lacans; Bridge: Mason Fillingham
Penalty count: 10-3
Half-time: 28-0
Referee: Andy Sweet
