Featherstone Rovers 32 Leigh Centurions 14: Featherstone secure final place with aid of double from Maloney

Prop Dom Maloney scored two tries and Liam Finn landed eight goals from eight kicks as Rovers recovered from 10-0 down to book their place in the final at Warrington on September 30 by beating the Centurions for the fourth time this season.

Finn needs two points in the final to break Jamie Rooney’s club record of 429 points in a season in 2002. Leigh have a second chance to make the final when they host the winners of Sunday’s Halifax-Sheffield game.

Rovers quickly fell behind when John Duffy and Martyn Ridyard linked to send in Craig Briscoe and Martyn Ridyard converted.

The Centurions struck again when Ridyard set up a try at the corner for John Pownall.

Featherstone cut the gap when Maloney plunged over for a 24th-minute try, but the Centurions increased their lead to 14-6 on the stroke of half-time when Finn’s speculative kick to the corner saw Pownall scoop up up the ball and race 85 yards for his second try.

Nine minutes into the second half, Rovers struck back when Leigh’s Matt Gardner lost the ball on his try own line and Stuart Dickens pounced for a try that was converted by Finn, who then kicked two penalties to put Featherstone ahead for the first time.

Leigh’s Greg McNally and Gardner both had efforts ruled out before Rovers went further ahead when Finn’s slick pass sent Maloney charging in for his second try.

Featherstone sealed victory 12 minutes from time when Maloney put in Ian Hardman to round off a tremendous second-half recovery.

Leigh’s Kevin Henderson was sent off in the last minute for a high tackle on Kyle Briggs.

Featherstone Rovers: Hardman; Saxton, Smeaton, Worthington, Ropati; Kain, Finn; England, Kaye, Lockwood, Dale, Spears, Briggs. Substitutes: Chappell, Bostock, Maloney, Dickens.

Leigh Centurions: McNally; Maden, Littler, Gardner, Pownall; Ridyard, Duffy; Ostick, Beswick, Spencer, Briscoe, Goulden, Thornley. Substitutes: Brierley, Taylor, Henderson, Gallagher.

Referee: G Stokes (Wigan).