Featherstone Rovers v  Sheffield Eagles (Match report by a dedicated flatcapper watching at the stadium Daniel Crossfield)

Featherstone Rovers v  Sheffield Eagles  Betfred Championship Round 22  (Sunday  19th September 2021)

This was the final regular home game of the season for Featherstone Rovers and it was Retro day where fans were encouraged to wear all kinds of shirts from past years of the club.  The team wore a retro shirt too.

Could Featherstone end the regular season with a convincing win or could Sheffield stop them?

It was played at the Millennium Stadium.

1^st Rovers try

Inside  the 1^st minute, Rovers scored their 1^st try as they got it out wide and Hall scored in the corner, unsuccessful conversion from Hall.

1^st Sheffield try

After a quarter of a hour, after a few mistakes from Rovers , Sheffield scored their 1^st try as they kicked on the last, Tyson-Wilson’s kick was caught by Worrincy who offloaded and Johnson scored, successful conversion from Guzdek to put Sheffield ahead.

2^nd Fev try

Five minutes later, Rovers back in front as Hall did a break, then near the Sheffield line, Brown got the ball and stepped away to score, unsuccessful conversion from Hall.

3^rd Rovers try

After 23 minutes, Halton spun and scored with a nice move as Rovers got near the line, successful conversion by Hall.

4^th Rovers try

Featherstone were starting to hit their stride as 2 minutes later, Rovers got the ball out wide and Hall stepped inside, successful conversion by Hall.

5^th Fev try

A minute later, it was a stunning try for Halton as Davies offloaded to Brown who passed inside to Halton who scored, successful conversion by Hall.

6^th Fev try

Just after the half hour, it was 30 points for Rovers and a hat-trick try for Halton as  Rovers won back to back penalties, and from the2nd one, they worked it wide for Halton to score, successful conversion from Hall.

Halftime score: Featherstone Rovers 32-6 Sheffield Eagles

After a sloppy  1^st 15 minutes, Rovers hit their stride and scored 5 tries in 17 minutes to take a healthy halftime lead could they continue this scoring in the 2^nd half?

7^th Rovers try

After 44 minutes, it was an early2nd half score for Rovers as Ferres got carried over the line and scored, unsuccessful conversion from Hall.

8^th Fev try

Five minutes later, another Rovers try  as Bussey stepped inside and couldn’t be stopped to score under the sticks, on his 100^th appearance, successful conversion by Hall .

9^th Rovers try

After 52 minutes, the ball got offloaded by Chisholm, Rovers got it wide and Gale scored easily in the corner for his 26^th try of the season, successful conversion by Hall.

10^th Fev try

Two minutes later, a superb team try for Rovers as Chisholm offloaded and Ferres passed to Welham who passed to Hall to score, successful conversion by Hall.

11^th Rovers try

Two minutes later, another super team move as Hardcastle caught short ball and went over for another walk in try, successful conversion by Hall to take him past 300 points in 2021.

12^th Rovers try

Just before the hour, it was try 12 for Fev as Chisholm and Welham combined to get Hall in out wide and Hall scored, successful conversion by Hall and that made the score 66-6 with 20 minutes remaining.

13^th Fev try

With 13 minutes remaining, the70 was up for Rovers and it was yet another Hall try in the corner, as Ferres passed it to him, unsuccessful conversion by Hall.

14^th Rovers try

With ten minutes remaining, it was try 14 for Rovers as Ferres went over in corner, unsuccessful conversion by Hall.

15^th and final Rovers try

With4minutes left, the misery was complete for Sheffield as Gale scored in the corner for his 2^nd try after a team move, unsuccessful conversion by Hall.

2^nd Sheffield try

With 2 minutes left ,a consolation Sheffield try as Worrincy jumped highest and scored in the corner on his final appearance of his career, the conversion attempt was miles off.

Fulltime score: Featherstone Rovers 78-10 Sheffield Eagles

A resounding way to end a fantastic season for Rovers as they’ve won 21 out of 22 games, whole season unbeaten away from home and they’ve won the 1895 Cup as well.  But they know their job isn’t done yet as they will now enter the playoffs.

They get a week off this week, and then they will have a home semi  final in the playoffs on Saturday October 2^nd against the highest ranked team that emerges from the 1^st week of the playoffs which are:  Batley v Bradford and Halifax v Whitehaven.