Featherstone Rovers 44 York City Knights 24: Knights run out of steam as Featherstone snatch late win

FEATHERSTONE’S nine-try win boosted their chances of finishing top of the Co-operative Championship for the second year running.

Bryn Powell and Liam Finn each scored two tries in a victory that put Rovers only three points behind leaders Leigh Centurions with a game in hand.

Man of the match Andy Kain was also a big contributor as Featherstone stretched their unbeaten league run to nine matches by overcoming a spirited challenge from bottom side York.

The Knights were 12-0 up after 12 minutes and led 24-20 early in the second-half but they ran out of steam and slumped to their fourth straight league defeat after conceding four tries in the final 14 minutes.

York took a shock lead with two quick tries, both converted by Tom Bush.

They went ahead when Featherstone full-back Ian Hardman fumbled Anthony Thackeray’s towering kick and ex-Rovers hooker Jack Lee scooped up the ball to score.

Three minutes later Featherstone’s Powell was punished for knocking on another Thackeray kick when Matt Garside crossed after good work by Duane Straugheir and Chris Thorman.

Rovers replied with three tries in nine minutes. Ben Kaye, Finn and Ross Divorty sent in Jon Grayshon, Kain’s clever kick created Powell’s first try and Finn dummied his way over and added the first of his four goals to take him past 500 points for the club.

Rovers went 20-12 ahead when Kain’s pass sent Powell sprinting 55 yards for his second try but the Knights reduced the arrears to two points when Thorman and Garside paved the way for former Featherstone player Jon Presley’s neat kick to set up a try for Bush.

York struck again when Presley, Thorman and Ryan Esders linked to send in Thackeray and Bush kicked his fourth goal to put them four points ahead.

However, Featherstone quickly regained the lead when Thackeray lost possession near his own try line and Kain snapped up the ball to dart over.

York’s hopes of a bonus point were shattered as Rovers finished the game with a late scoring burst which started when Grayshon sent in Andy Bostock after 66 minutes.

Finn then swapped passes with Hardman to collect his second try, Finn and Kain made the opening for Sam Smeaton to cross and Jon Hepworth completed the scoring by finishing a delightful 80-yard move involving Finn, Kain and Smeaton.

Featherstone Rovers: Hardman; Powell, Chappell, Bostock, Smeaton; Kain, Finn; Haley, Kaye, Dickens, Grayshon, Spears, Divorty. Substitutes: Gledhill, Netherton, Morrison, Hepworth.

York City Knights: Bush; Smith, Ford, Sutton, Haynes; Thorman, Thackeray; Freer, Lee, Benson, Straugheir, Garside, Clarke. Substitutes: Stearman, Esders, Presley, Jones.

Referee: C Sharrad (RFL).