Featherstone avoid rare Swinton defeat

FEATHERSTONE recovered from 16-4 down to revive their bid to lift the League Leaders’ Shield for a fifth successive season.

After losing at Doncaster, Rovers looked in grave danger of another surprise defeat when they struggled in the first half against Swinton, who have won just once at Featherstone in 51 years.

The first of Will Sharp’s two tries shortly before half-time gave Rovers an important boost and they turned the game on its head by scoring three tries in eight minutes in the second period.

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Rovers took the lead when Etu Uaisele went over after clever play by Kyle Briggs and Greg Worthington, but Swinton then took control.

The Lions levelled when Mick Nanyn crossed and they snatched the lead when Josh Barlow forced his way over. Substitute Luke Hulme then darted in and Nanyn kicked his second goal. But Rovers cut the gap to six points when slick handling by Gareth Moore, Tim Spears and Ian Hardman put in Sharp and Moore added the first of his four goals.

Sharp sparked the second-half scoring burst with a 45-yard effort after 19-year-old debutant Luke Teasdale sent him clear.

Hardman then put in Worthington before James Mendeika went over from Spears’s pass.

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Mendeika and Tongan international Uaisele both scored their second tries to put the game beyond Swinton’s reach.

The Lions’ only further points came from Kevin Penny’s 75-yard interception six minutes from time.

Featherstone Rovers: Hardman; Sharp, Worthington, Hellewell, Uaisele; Briggs, Moore; Crossley, Kain, Hirst, Cording, Spears, Lockwood. Substitutes: Teasdale, Dale, James, Mendeika.

Swinton Lions: Walker; Penny, Nanyn, D Hawkyard, Warrilow; Bowman, Watson; Wood, Dwyer, Menzies, James Brown, Currie, Barlow. Substitutes: Hulme, England, Johnson, Peet.

Referee: G Hewer (Whitehaven).

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