Featherstone Rovers 20 Hull KR 20: Briggs salvages late draw to deny Robins victory

FEATHERSTONE snatched a late draw after Hull KR recovered from 16-0 down at half-time to lead 20-18.
Battle of the Rovers: Featherstone v Hull KRBattle of the Rovers: Featherstone v Hull KR
Battle of the Rovers: Featherstone v Hull KR

The Championship leaders looked set to complete a double over Featherstone when Zach Dockar-Clay’s 72nd-minute try and Jamie Ellis’s second goal put them ahead for the first time.

But Featherstone got the point they deserved when Kyle Briggs kicked a 35-yard penalty goal two minutes from time.

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Featherstone missed an early chance when Jason Walton put in Michael Knowles but he lost the ball over the try line.

Hull KR’s Ben Kavanagh was sin-binned for a late tackle and Featherstone immediately capitalised when Misi Taulapapa scored at the corner.

They quickly stretched their lead when Wildie and Thackeray sent Walton storming over.

Knowles made it 12-0 with his second penalty before Featherstone’s Darrell Griffin and Hull KR’s Robbie Mulhern were sin-binned after a flare-up.

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Featherstone finished the first-half firmly in command when Walton and Knowles made the opening for James Duckworth to cross.

Hull KR’s second-half fightback started with two tries in six minutes. Ben Cockayne’s pass to Ryan Shaw looked forward but play was allowed to continue and Kieran Moss finished a 60-yard move, before Jordan Abdull darted over to narrow the deficit to six points.

Briggs kicked a penalty but Hull KR’s recovery continued when Abdull’s high kick was caught by Jake Butler-Fleming who put in Moss for his second score.

Briggs then missed an easy penalty kick and Hull KR went in front when Dockar-Clay went over over from acting half and Ellis converted but substitute Briggs made amends when he was on target in the closing stages of a thrilling clash.

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Featherstone Rovers: Hardman; Duckworth, Walton, Hardcastle, Taulapapa; Thackeray, Wildie; Moore, Carlile, Baldwinson, Knowles, Davies, Lockwood. Substitutes: Briggs, Mariano, Griffin, Ormondroyd.

Hull Kingston Rovers: Cockayne; Moss, Hefernan, Butler-Fleming, Shaw; Abdull, Ellis; Scruton, Lunt, Johnson, Blair, Addy, Kavanagh. Substitutes: Clarkson, Mulhern, Dockar-Clay, Salter.

Referee: S Mikalauskas (Leigh).