Kain celebrates career milestone with a triple

ANDY Kain marked his 200th career appearance with a first-half hat-trick of tries as defending champions Featherstone retained a two-point lead over Halifax in the Co-operative Championship.

Kain’s half-back partner Liam Finn was also a key contributor with a match-winning 60th minute try and six goals, including a drop goal.

Batley’s second successive defeat left them six points adrift of Featherstone but they contributed fully to a magnificent game and staged a great fightback from 24-12 down at half-time.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The Bulldogs took a fourth minute lead as Ben Black snapped up a loose ball to score a gift try before Featherstone equalised when Finn sent Grayshon powering over and Kain darted in for his first score.

Kain quickly bagged his second with a delightful 35-yard solo effort but the Bulldogs hit back when Danny Maun latched onto Moore’s kick to cross. Rovers stretched their lead to 24-12 as Kain’s neat kick was collected by Jack Briscoe who slipped out a pass to send in the stand-off.

Batley bounced back in the second-half when Black finished a 75-yard move to score his second after great work by Alex Walmsley and Craig Potter.

The Bulldogs levelled at 24-24 when Alex Brown’s powerful run set up the position for Black to send in Ian Preece and Moore kicked his fourth goal.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The game swung back Featherstone’s way when Finn dummied his way through and Finn added a drop goal, but Brown’s last minute try came too late for Batley.

Featherstone Rovers: Hardman; Briscoe, Smeaton, Worthington, Saxton; Kain, Finn; England, Kaye, Dickens, Grayshon, Spears, Dale. Substitutes: Maloney, Haley, Lockwood, Bussey.

Batley Bulldogs: Preece; Potts, Walton, Maun, Brown; Black, Moore; Smith, Wildie, Hirst, Bretherton, Applegarth, Lindsay. Substitutes: Mennell, Potter, Walmsley, Lythe.

Referee: R Laughton (Barnsley).