20 March 2022

Rovers were left frustrated as they dropped points for the first time this season. Rovers looked to have given themselves the perfect start as they visited Batley for the second time in seven days. It was deja vu for the visitors as Batley started the game much as they had done the previous week, pilling on the pressure in the opening minutes before finding the try-line on the fifteen minute mark, a carbon copy of the previous weekend’s opening try from Greg Johnson - the winger in acres of space on Batley’s left edge. Rovers fought back midway through the first half, Josh Hardcastle, returning from injury, was a man possessed as Chisholm found the centre with a fizzing pass to see off four Batley defenders.  The momentum seemed to have swung in Featherstone’s favour before a scrambled attack from Batley saw them touch down for their second score of the game to take a half time lead of 12-6.

With the gradient in their favour for the second half, Rovers came out firing, Hardcastle, looking to make up for lost time crossed for his second of the game, Hall this time unable to add the conversion. Batley extended their lead fifteen minutes into the second half, Toby Everett found a gap in the Rovers defence to sneak through under the posts. As the game moved into the final quarter, Hall found his way through to bring the visitors within a sniff of Batley, in converting his try he made it to 100 points for the season so far, a club record for the fewest games to reach the milestone. With the game moving into the final ten minutes, a burst of pace from Brandon Pickersgill on the left edge saw the fullback move 50m up field before putting Ryley Jacks through to score his second try in as many games.  Rovers were now in the lead for the first time in the game.

With Batley moving just inside the Rovers half, Batley’s Adam Gledhill was tacked by Callum Field and Morgan Smith.  The ball fell to the floor in what the referee must have judged to have been a ripped ball in a two man tackle - subsequently awarding Batley the penalty that drew them level, 20-20. With the clock running down, Rovers positioned themselves well to put Chisholm in the pocket for a drop goal but under pressure the ball drifted wide of the posts, rendering the game a stalemate.