Dewsbury Rams 18 Featherstone Rovers 38: Finn sparkles as Featherstone hold off Dewsbury’s fightback

A brief second-half fightback from Dewsbury saw them claw their way back into the game but it was not enough as a Liam Finn inspired Rovers claimed the spoils.

Rovers coach Daryl Powell saw his side’s first-half display as key. He said: “It was a game of two halves and the wind dictated a lot of it. We won the first half more than they won the second but I thought we were outstanding in the first half. The way we went about things and the way we got stuck into them impressed me.”

The Rams have now gone seven league games without a win but coach Warren Jowitt will be focusing on the positives of a stronger second-half display against Featherstone.

Dewsbury debutant William Barthau was lively in the opening exchanges but couldn’t open the scoring. Another former Dewsbury player Andrew Bostock was on hand to barge his way over for the opening four points.

The Rams were making silly errors and Dickens wasted no time in powering over for a try under the posts shortly followed by Spears two minutes later.

Rovers then had Haley in support from Finn’s pass and despite the wind swirling around Tetley’s Stadium Finn goaled all three tries for a 22-0 lead to the visitors.

Finn was kicking 40/20s for fun which saw Featherstone press deep into the Dewsbury half. Kirk Netherton was the next player to register a try as he scooted from dummy half and then Matty Dale extended the lead on half time with Finn goaling.

Trailing 32-0 at half-time Jowitt’s side came out with more vigour, aggression and purpose. Playing with the conditions to their advantage in the second stanza the Rams were pushing hard to get on the scoreboard and finally Ayden Faal touched down after Bryn Powell fumbled the ball on his own line. Brambani added the extras.

Buoyed by their good fortune Brambani found his way into the game and was on the end of Faal’s offload moments later to squeeze in. Another conversion reduced the arrears further.

Any hopes the Rams harboured of a comeback were dashed on 65 minutes when hard-working Ross Divorty grabbed a deserved try which Finn converted.

The Rams couldn’t salvage a bonus point but did add a late consolation through Elliot Cosgrove and a Patrick Walker goal.

Dewsbury Rams: Hodgson, Wainwright, Turner, Faal, Buchanan, Barthau, Brambani, England, S.Glassell, Hirst, Spicer, Cosgrove, Tonks. Substitutes: Emblem, Smith, P.Walker, Lockwood.

Featherstone Rovers: Hardman, Powell, Smeaton, Bostock, Hepworth, Kain, Finn, Haley, Kaye, Dickens, Grayshon, Spears, Dale. Substitutes: Mvududu, Divorty, Netherton, Worthington.

Referee: M Thomason (RFL).