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MATCH REPORT: FEATHERSTONE ROVERS 34-22 HULL KR
Sunday 24th January 2010
Cook crossed in each half for his first points as a Hull KR player whilst Scott Murrell and Liam Colbon also went over the whitewash for the Robins.
The afternoon belonged to Featherstone though as Matty Dale (2), Jack Lee, Ian Hardman (2) and Ross Divorty scored the tries that made it an afternoon to remember for the men in blue.
After using 25 players against Hull FC last weekend, Head Coach Justin Morgan trimmed his match squad to nineteen, pairing Jake Webster with Scott Spaven in the half-backs whilst there was a start at hooker for Josh Hodgson.
The Latus brothers- Jack and Sam- started at full-back and wing respectively whilst the likes of Shaun Briscoe, Clint Newton, Ben Galea and Michael Dobson were given the afternoon off ahead of Thursday's final pre-season friendly against Bradford Bulls at Craven Park.
A fired-up Featherstone were showing no great respect to reputations in the early exchanges, aggressive in defence and adventurous in attack. Having already created an overlap on the power play moments earlier, some close handling set Kyle Briggs tearing through a gap on half-way but the stand-off had his charge to the line halted when referee Ben Thaler rightly adjudged a forward pass.
Despite that early promise it was the visiting side that drew first blood. Paul Cooke had been on the field a matter of seconds having replaced the injured Webster after he had left the field with an elbow problem early on. Cooke was up to the speed of the game instantly, beautifully disguising a short ball to Cook who broke the defensive line, evaded a couple of tackles and went over for his first points in Rovers colours.
It was a lead that lasted just five minutes as successive penalties brought the first real moment of pressure on the Red and Whites line. Prop Stuart Dickens fed Kain, who popped up a short ball for the charging Dale who was never going to be stopped from less than ten metres out.
Having been on the wrong end of a big penalty count at the KC Stadium a week previous it was again indiscipline that was creating problems for KR. Colbon was punished at the tackle and having got to within touching distance of the line, Lee made the most of poor try line defence to burrow over next to the post.
Rovers learnt quickly from the mistake in defence to the benefit of their attack as once more a replacement made an instant impact. Scott Spaven's grubber kick on the final tackle of the set was fumbled by Liam Welham and from the resultant repeat set Rovers worked the ball right to within inches of the line. Murrell ran from the touchline to the play-of-the-ball, and showed good awareness to go in from close range.
Having got back within a couple of points of the hosts Rovers would have been hoping to kick-on and make their top flight experience count. However it wasn't to be the case as
Featherstone extended their advantage in the 31st minute. A 50-50 call went the way of the home side to provide the attacking platform with prop Iain Morrison's low pass picked up expertly from his bootlaces by the supporting Hardman, the full-back going in under the sticks for a well worked score.
Matters got worse for Morgan's men before half-time with Dale crossing for another four-pointer. The lively Kain showed good feel with his short kick that a hesitant Jack Latus was beaten to by the onrushing Dale to give the hosts a 22-10 interval lead.
The Robins came out showing more intent in attack in the second stanza and claimed early rewards. Featherstone were the architects of their own downfall by missing touch from another penalty and when the ball was worked left to the dangerous I'Anson he sold the dummy to carve through the defence and executed his pass to the supporting Colbon to perfection for the winger to get his second try of pre-season.
Rovers were beginning to find an intensity in attack that had been missing in the first period but weren't able to convert a couple of good opportunities with first Cook being brought down just short and then Scott Wheeldon unable to get to Ben Fisher's clever kick between the uprights.
Daryl Powell's men were relieved of the pressure on their line by yet another penalty and having got to the 20 metre line Dickens offloaded out of the tackle to Divorty who powered his way to the line to touch the ball down under the uprights.
With fifteen minutes remaining the game was put beyond any reasonable doubt after another moment of inspiration from Kain. The scrum-half came under pressure looking to put in the kick on the final tackle so instead ducked and dived his way between a few defenders and into open space. Faced by full-back Jack Latus, Kain handed onto the supporting
Hardman who held off the attentions of two tacklers to crash over by the right hand post.
Hull KR continued to knock on the Featherstone door and it opened again for Cook. As with the first period it was stand-off Cooke providing the short pass for the former Bradford man to power over from five metres.
Teams:
Featherstone: Hardman, Steele, Smeathon, Liam Welham, Saxton, Briggs, Kain, Morrison, Lee, Dickens, Grayshon, Dale, Field. Replacements: Tonks, Allan, Marabe, Parker, Divorty, Manning, Spears, Dobek.
Rovers: Jack Latus, Sam Latus, Ratu, Mariano, Colbon, Webster, Spaven, Beaumont, Hodgson, Wheeldon, Taylor, Cook, I'Anson. Replacements: Fisher, Murrell, Cooke, Mills, Netherton, Watts.
Referee: Ben Thaler
