FEATHERSTONE ROVERS 32 HALIFAX PANTHERS 16
CHRISTIAN LEE, Millennium Stadium, Friday
FEATHERSTONE condemned Halifax to a sixth game without a win in an enthralling encounter.
Ben Reynolds starred for the home side who repeatedly came from behind before sealing the win with three tries in the final 25 minutes.
The visitors took the lead early on when Connor Wynne spilt a kick into the hands of Ben Tibbs, who gratefully dotted down. Jack Hansen tagged on the extras from out wide.
It would, however, take less than ten minutes for Featherstone to restore parity when Gareth Gale touched down in the corner.
Smart hands from Ben Reynolds in the build-up sent Jimmy Beckett through the middle and, off the back of this, Rovers spread it wide against a scrambling Halifax defence, allowing the winger to cross untouched. Reynolds knocked over the conversion.
Halifax’s second of the half also came out wide when James Saltonstall dived over following some good work from Alfie Johnson to free his arm and offload one-handed to the winger. Hansen’s conversion attempt drifted wide.
Despite having the lead, ill-discipline began to hurt the visitors.
After multiple repeat sets for the home side, the ball was batted onto James Glover, who picked up the pass from his boot laces and found Wynne on the touchline. The winger had the wherewithal to cut back inside the chasing Halifax defenders and level the game.
Reynolds edged Rovers ahead with his second conversion of the half before doubling his side’s lead before the break with a penalty goal after Clay Webb was taken out off the ball as he chased a kick through.
After struggling to end the half, Halifax made the perfect start after the break with a quick-fire score.
A well-worked training ground move split Featherstone’s edge defence, and Ben Crooks remained composed to find Hansen on his inside to finish the move under the posts.
Hansen’s simple conversion briefly edged Halifax back ahead, however, Reynolds quickly drew the game level once more with his second penalty-goal of the evening following a high tackle on the halfback by David Nofoaluma.
Playing with the hill in the second half, the home side began to dominate territory and crossed for crucial back-to-back tries.
Brad Day crashed onto a deft pass from Ryan Hampshire for the first before a slick move created space for Gale to dive over acrobatically in the corner for his second.
Reynolds was only able to convert the first of the two scores, however, crucially for Rovers, they held the first two-score lead of the match with less than 20 minutes left on the clock.
Halifax fought hard to stage a late comeback but ran out of time and ideas as their attack began to visibly tire in the closing stages.
Featherstone closed the game out in front of their buoyant fans with a late penalty-goal from Reynolds and a final, unconverted try on the hooter for Glover, who scooped up a knock-on from Crooks before racing away downfield.
GAMESTAR: Ben Reynolds put on a masterclass for Featherstone at halfback, marshalling his side’s attack masterfully as well as adding vital points off the kicking tee.
GAMEBREAKER: Gareth Gale’s acrobatic second-half finish sealed the game for Featherstone, giving his side a two-score lead that they wouldn’t give up in the final quarter of the clash.
MATCHFACTS
ROVERS
1 Caleb Aekins
5 Gareth Gale
20 Josh Hardcastle
29 James Glover
23 Connor Wynne
6 Ben Reynolds
28 Ryan Hampshire
16 King Vuniyayawa
9 Will Jubb
10 Jimmy Beckett
11 Brad Day
17 Clay Webb
13 Danny Addy
Subs (all used)
14 Connor Jones
38 Pat Moran
37 Nathan Wilde
8 Gadwin Springer
Tries: Gale (14, 60), Wynne (29), Day (56), Glover (80)
Goals: Reynolds 6/8
PANTHERS
23 David Nofoaluma
2 Ben Tibbs
4 Ben Crooks
21 Alfie Johnson
5 James Saltonstall
6 James Woodburn-Hall
7 Jack Hansen
8 Brandon Douglas
14 Tom Inman
17 Will Calcott
11 Owen McCarron
12 Adam Tangata
22 Maxime Jobe
Subs (all used)
9 Adam O’Brien
34 Nolan Tupaea
13 Jacob Fairbank
33 Leon Cowen
Tries: Tibbs (7), Saltonstall (22), Hansen (42)
Goals: Hansen 2/3
SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 6-6, 6-10, 12-10, 14-10; 14-16, 16-16, 22-16, 26-16, 28-16, 32-16
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Rovers: Ben Reynolds; Panthers: Ben Crooks
Penalty count: 5-10
Half-time: 14-10
Referee: Matty Lynn