London Broncos 24 Featherstone Rovers 12: Featherstone fail to hold out as Dorn and Dixon shine for London

Dorn and Dixon’s heroics bailed out the Londoners after they were put on the back foot for much of the contest by the Championship side, who deservedly led at half-time.

Rovers, third in the Championship and confident of an upset, included five former London stars in their team – Jonny Hepworth, Ben Kaye, Lamont Bryan, Kyle Briggs and Andy Ellis.

Featherstone, who caused a shock by seeing off Castleford at this stage in last year’s competition, set about their task with gusto early on. Huge hits laid out both Mark Bryant and Craig Gower within two minutes.

It was Rovers who made all the early running, prompted by impressive stand-off Andy Kain.

Steve Crossley came closest to scoring for Featherstone when he bulldozed over from close range, only to be judged as held up by referee Thierry Alibert. But Featherstone finally took the lead on 25 minutes, Ian Hardman squirming over.

London finally flickered into life but Featherstone probably felt hard done by to only enter the break 4-0 ahead.

Having huffed and puffed for so long, the Broncos finally struck back when Dixon strolled over in the corner after a sniping run from Ben Fisher.

And within minutes the Londoners had eased ahead, Jamie O’Callaghan pouncing after Michael Witt’s high kick had unsettled the Rovers’ defence. If the Super League side thought that would knock the visitors out of their stride they were sorely mistaken, as Featherstone hauled themselves level when Hardman muscled over for his second try after a Tommy Saxton break.

The game had really opened up by now and it was London’s turn to strike next, Dorn touching down after Witt’s clever grubber through had given him space.

The Broncos were finally getting on top and stretched two scores ahead on 68 minutes, Dorn showing good strength to cross for his second try after a neat inside pass from O’Callaghan.

But Rovers still were not finished, Kain ducking and diving before racing clear to touch down with eight minutes remaining.

It was Dixon who rounded off the scoring, though, darting over in the corner from a long pass from Gower in the dying seconds.

London Broncos: Hurst, M. Robertson, O’Callaghan, Grady, Dixon, Witt, Gower, Bryant, Lee, Wheeldon, Cook, Bailey, Kaufusi. Substitutes: Lovell, Fisher, Dorn, Dollapi.

Featherstone: Hardman, Hellewell, Hepworth, Worthington, Saxton, Kain, Finn, England, Kaye, Crossley, Lockwood, Spears, M. Dale. Substitutes: Bostock, Bryan, Briggs, Ellis.

Referee: T Alibert (RFL)