Featherstone Rovers 18 Sheffield Eagles 18: Late Cook try denies Featherstone victory

A hat-trick of tries by debutant Liam Welham gave Featherstone an 18-12 lead but the Eagles levelled in the 79th minute when Cook plunged over between the posts from acting half and Jonny Woodcock added his third goal of the game

Rovers made a cracking start with two tries in the opening 11 minutes.

Liam Finn's high kick was palmed back by Jonny Grayshon for ex-Hull KR centre Welham to score before slick handling by Andy Kain, Jamie Field and Ian Hardman put in Jon Steel for the opener.

Sheffield replied in the 18th minute when Cook sent Mitch Stringer crashing over.

The Eagles then grabbed a 12-8 lead when Aaron Groom's kick set up a try for fellow substitute Alex Rowe and Woodcock landed his second conversion of the game.

Rovers turned the game around by starting the second-half like they had the first with two quick tries.

Matty Dale and Kain made the opening for Welham to cross and the centre completed his treble three minutes later when Kain's short pass put him in.

Kyle Briggs kicked his first goal from four attempts to give Rovers a six-point lead but they failed to capitalise on the extra man when Sheffield's Sam Barlow was sin-binned in the 58th minute and the Eagles finished the stronger side to earn a share of the spoils.

Featherstone Rovers: Hardman; Steel, Welham, Smeaton, Saxton; Briggs, Kain; Morrison, Finn, Dickens, Grayshon, Dale, Field. Substitutes: Spears, Divorty, Tonks, Lee.

Sheffield Eagles: Woodcock; Bergin, Mossop, Ropati, Thackray; Lindsay, McDonald; Howieson, Cook, Stringer, Szostak, Corcoran, Exton. Substitutes: Groom, Barlow, Haley, Rowe.

Referee: R Laughton (Barnsley).