Featherstone Rovers 30 Sheffield Eagles 32: Leaders Featherstone falter as Yere grabs Eagles triple

Yere sent leaders Featherstone tumbling to their first defeat in nine games but they still look certain to finish top of the Championship table.

Rovers collected a bonus point to move nine points clear of closest rivals Halifax who have three games left and a far inferior points difference.

Sheffield took charge of the game with two tries in three minutes from Yere.

Mitchell Stringer and Brendon Lindsay sent him in after nine minutes and he quickly struck again by finishing a lovely move involving Craig Cook, Simon Brown, Lindsay and Misi Taulapapa.

Rovers opened their account in the 26th minute when Liam Finn put in a clever crossfield kick and the ball was plucked superbly out of the air by his half-back partner Kyle Briggs who grabbed a try he also goaled.

Sheffield quickly replied when Alex Rowe and Michael Haley made the opening for Lindsay to score a try that Tim Bergin converted, but Featherstone then cut the gap to 14-12 when Finn's kick created a try for teenage winger Zak Hardaker and Briggs kicked a touchline conversion.

The Eagles, who handed debuts to 17-year-old Corey Hanson and experienced hooker Andrew Henderson, increased their lead three minutes into the second-half when Bergin converted his own try after supporting Tangi Ropati's powerful break.

Featherstone hit back when Ian Hardman sent in Jon Steel but the Eagles soon took control again.

Yere finished an 80-metre move to complete his hat-trick before Brown's 40-20 paved the way for a try by Ropati and Brown kicked his second goal to put them 32-16 up.

The Eagles held out after Rovers set up a nail-biting finish when Hardaker bagged his second touchdown and Liam Welham exchanged passes with Steel to score a try that Finn goaled.

Featherstone Rovers: Hardman; Hardaker, Smeaton, Welham, Steel; Briggs, Finn; Tonks, Kain, Dickens, Field, Spears, Dale. Substitutes: Divorty, Sheriffe, Grayshon, Manning.

Sheffield Eagles: Taulapapa; Mills, Yere, Ropati, Bergin; Lindsay, Brown; Hepworth, Cook, Stringer, Szostak, Green, Hirst. Substitutes: Hanson, Rowe, Haley, Henderson.

Referee: R Hicks (Oldham).