18 August 2023

Featherstone Rovers got back to winning ways with a convincing 38-10 victory over third-placed Sheffield Eagles in front of their biggest crowd of the season. Interim coach James Ford’s first game in charge went according to plan as Rovers established a considerable half-time lead which they consolidated with a solid second half showing.

Eagles truck first with a try out wide before Rovers’ forwards assumed control. Dane Chishom’s chip over bounced up for Arama Hau to open Rovers’ account. Eagles went close down the flanks again, before John Davies’ clever pass put Hau in for his second. Aekins stepped through to put Rovers 18-4 up, but Eagles came back with a slick scrum move to score out wide. There was time just before the break for Junior Moors to barge over from close range on his return from injury to grab his first try of 2023. Mark Kheirallah added his fourth straight conversion and Rovers were 24-10 up at the break.

Rovers’ opening score of the second half saw a neat pass from Chisholm send Hau through a hole in the defence and Hankinson finished off. Provider turned scorer when Chisholm chipped over the line again, Sheffield failed to clear, and the halfback was there to touch down. The final score came after a trademark sprint from acting halfback by Connor Jones, whose pass allowed Gareth Gale to touch down in the corner.