ROVERS GRAB DEFEAT FROM THE JAWS OF VICTORY!

TEAM

1–NATHAN GRAHAM

2 JAMIE STOKES

3 SIMON JACKSON

4.STUART REARDON

5 MATT BRAMALD

6 ANDY BASTOW

7 JAMIE ROONEY

8 STUART DICKENS

9 RICHARD CHAPMAN

10 IAN TONKS

11 JIM CARLTON

12 NEIL LOWE

13 ANDY HEPTINSTAL

14 STEVE DOOLER

15 SAM BIBB

16 RICHARD THALER

17 CRAIG BOOTH

 

ATTENDANCE - 1407

 

WEATHER CONDITIONS – VERY COLD, OVERCAST & MISTY

HALF TIME – ROVERS 8 WORKINGTON 6

FULL TIME – ROVERS 17 WORKINGTON 18

 

REFEREE  STEVE GANSON     PENALTY COUNT  10-12

Featherstone Rovers 17 Workington Town 18

 

Rovers managed to loose this game having ’won’ it with 5 minutes to go!  Ian Fairhurst was justifiably exasperated with this result.  He said ’ We should have closed the game down at 17-10.  When your in the position we were in you should shut the game off.  We didn’t and we have got to learn from that.  Defensively we worked very hard for the whole game but just cracked in the last few minutes!’

It was in the last few minutes that Workington scored two tries to remain undefeated and send Rovers tumbling to their first defeat of the season.  Rovers looked to have the game won when Neil Lowe charged over for his second try in the 76th minute, five minutes from time to put them 17-10 ahead.   Town then cut the gap to three points with two minutes to go when Martin Wood sent winger Graeme Lewthwaite in for his second touchdown.  Then, with only 20 seconds remaining on the clock, winger Neil Frazer finished a flowing move to go in at the corner to give Workington their first win at Featherstone since 1954! .

Workington took a 4 point lead on the 13th-minute  when Graeme Lewthwaite showed good finishing to collect his first try. Rovers then fought back and levelled the scores with Neil Lowe's first try but then fell behind again when Steven Wood landed his only goal of the game from five attempts after Rovers were penalised for ball stealing.

Rovers continued to work hard and snatched the lead for the first time on 34 minutes.  Andy Bastow sent Jamie Rooney darting clear and his well-timed pass put Matt Bramald over at the corner.   This took the score to 8-6 at the break. 

Jamie Rooney had an off-day with the boot, landing two goals from six kicks.  His first success was in the 42nd minute after Workington's Stuart Hoyles failed to play the ball correctly.

The scrum-half was on target again on 50  minutes to edge Rovers 12-6 ahead following a high tackle on substitute Steve Dooler near the try line.

Workington got back in the match in the 53rd minute when half-backs Martin Wood and Tane Manihera made the opening for Brett McDermott to score.  This took the score to 12-10 and set up a nail biting last quarter.

Rovers, with captain Ian Tonks setting a very strong lead in the pack, regained control with a drop goal from Jamie Rooney and then came Neil Lowe's second try.

Unfortunately, they slipped up badly in the closing stages as battling Workington finished the stronger side.   Supporters and players alike looked on in disbelief at the result!

Rovers man of the match was Ian Tonks.