Bastian praises spirit of Rovers in fightback

Halifax looked to be heading for a second successive win when they hit back from 12-0 down to lead 20-12, but Will Sharp’s 65th-minute score sparked a late Rovers revival.

Jamie Cording stormed over to put Featherstone 22-20 ahead and they clinched victory when Jack Bussey and Cording set up a try for James Mendeika and Gareth Moore kicked his fourth goal.

Bastian said: “Halifax gave us a great game and we had to really dig in. We had our backs to the wall and we found a way to get a very good result. We showed some real character in the last 15 to 20 minutes.”

Featherstone quickly went ahead when Moore, Bussey, James Lockwood and Greg Worthington sent in Jamel Chisholm at the corner.

Ex-Rovers hooker Ben Kaye was sin-binned in the 16th minute for holding down Ben Hellewell after the centre made a delightful run.

Featherstone capitalised on the extra man when Worthington twisted his way over and Moore added his second goal.

While Fax were down to 12 men, they hit back when Ben Johnston cleverly weaved his way through to score.

Rovers missed an excellent chance when Moore made a superb break but he was unable to take George Flanagan’s return pass with the try line begging.

Halifax levelled three minutes before half-time when Johnston sent Kaye darting in and the visitors snatched the lead for the first time in the 46th minute when another ex-Rovers player Ross Divorty charged over from Johnston’s pass.

Tyrer kicked his fourth goal with a 35-yard penalty to edge Halifax further ahead but Rovers turned the game round by dominating the closing stages.

Featherstone Rovers: Mendeika; Sharp, Hellewell, Worthington, Chisholm; Bussey, Moore; Crossley, Ellis, Hirst, Lockwood, Spears, Cording. Substitutes: Flanagan, Dale, Bostock, James.

Halifax: Potts; Reittie, Tyrer, Cowling, Heaton; Murrell, Johnston; Tonks, Kaye, Ambler, Manning, Adamson, Bracek. Substitutes: Brown, Mennell, Davies, Divorty.

Referee: M Thomason (Warrington).