Featherstone Rovers 42 Lezignan 16: Hepworth effort sets Featherstone on way to Lezignan victory

French side Lezignan’s hopes of an upset quickly disappeared as Rovers ran in seven tries to lead 38-4 at the break.

Centre Sam Smeaton bagged two tries and Liam Finn landed five goals as three-times Challenge Cup winners Rovers extended their unbeaten run to eight games.

Jonny Hepworth set the ball rolling with a delightful 55-yard individual effort.

Nathan Chappell finished a move involving Finn, Stuart Dickens, Matt Dale and Jon Grayshon to score on his home debut but the Rovers centre was taken off shortly afterwards with a knee injury.

Andy Kain and Hepworth cleverly made the opening for Bryn Powell to cross before Powell collected Finn’s high kick to put in Smeaton for his first.

Lezignan got a look in when Australian Jye Mullane grabbed the first of his two tries but Rovers soon cut loose again.

Finn and Kain set up Smeaton’s second score, Kain darted through from close range and Ross Divorty crossed from Tom Hemingway’s pass to give Rovers a match-winning lead.

They eased up in an untidy second-half that was littered with mistakes.

Their only further points came from Tommy Saxton 48th minute try after clever play by Finn and Hepworth.

Franck Rovira put in Aurelien Cologni for Lezignan’s second touchdown and Featherstone did well to survive further pressure before the French side completed the scoring in the closing stages with Mullane’s second score and Nathan Wynn’s second goal.

Featherstone coach Daryl Powell said: “It could have been a banana skin for us but fortunately we were good enough to get the job done.

“Lezignan were a big, physical group and it looked like they would be a challenge for us up front.”

Featherstone Rovers: Hepworth; Powell, Smeaton, Chappell, Saxton; Kain, Finn; Haley, Hemingway, Dickens, Grayshon, Spears, Dale. Substitutes: Tonks, Divorty, Worthington, Mvududu.

Lezignan: Michau; Piquemal, Bringuier, Cardace, Poggi; Mullane, Wynn; Griffi, Cologni, Rovira, Negre, Clottes, Bentley. Substitutes: Croux, Leuluai, Bousquet, Bourrell.

Referee: R Laughton (Barnsley).