Featherstone Rovers 20 Blackpool 10 Having lost two games to the weather, finally the Rovers squad were to get a chance to get off the training ground and onto the pitch. Blackpool, their opponents, beat a young Featherstone team in the same fixture last year and with a team expected to include many names known to Rovers fans, not least Andy Hobson, this was not going to be a walkover. When the home team was announced, the absence of Hardman, Dickens, Dale, Kane and Saxton, plus a couple of the new signings, meant that once again many of the youngsters were being given a chance to shine. The game was marked by highs and lows where it was obvious that many of the players were 'ring rusty' but at the end of the day there was enough to talk about, with enthusiastic debuts by our two Kumuls and a encouraging outing for young Zak Hardaker at full back.
Both teams pressed forward in their next few sets and were both held short, as it was the defences that had the upper hand, until on the 25th minute Blackpool took the lead when Paul Ballard chased his own kick through and beat the defence to plant the ball just short of the dead ball line. A touch line conversion by Tom Hemingway pulled them clear of the Rovers' score. Paul Allcock nearly extended the Blackpool lead soon after but as he dived over the line, full back Hardaker managed to wrap himself round the player and prevent a clean grounding of the ball. Just before the half hour Rovers retook the lead. It started with a sight that There followed Rovers' best spell of the game as they spread the ball quickly with dummy runners confusing the Blackpool defenders and looked to have a good game plan. This eventually lead to the final score of the half. First Jodie Sherriffe made good ground before a short ball from Liam Finn gave Tom Lynch the opening required to score. An easier kick this time and Rovers were to end the half with an eight point lead. If Rovers fans hoped that the skills demonstrated in the last ten minutes of the first half were going to lead to a second half of flowing rugby, they were to be disappointed, as the ball went to ground far too many times from both teams which lead to a stop/start game. In fact Rovers' last score of the game came in only the fourteenth minute of the second half, but it was a score to remember. Jessie Joe received the ball on the thirty and ran along the line dummying drop offs until finally straightening to burst through and score in the corner. A touch line conversion by Aaron Dobek, showing the accuracy that he produced for the reserves all last season, slotted it It was Blackpool who crossed the line four times in the last twenty minutes. The first time, once again the attacker was held on his back and then when it looked as if fast hands had created a gap on the right, a last gasp tackle by Wellham forced the winger out of play. A similar move did though create the gap for the winger to score seven minutes from the end of the game, but the same move to the left soon after was deemed forward by Mr Turley and was pulled back for the scrum. The last few minutes was best forgotten as a lack of match practice and concentration combined to thwart any move that looked to be constructive. The pre season friendly is the time though to make mistakes and learn from them. Blackpool should have left quite happy with their performance and they should compete well this year in the Cooperative First Division. Featherstone learned a lot about individuals today but will learn more next week where it is more likely that the starting line-up will be the preferred team for the start of the campaign.
Half Time 14-6 Referee Mr W Turley Scoring sequence 4-0, 4-6, 8-6, 14-6, 20-6, 20-10 Crowd:937 © 2010 Stuart Lonsdale |
Rovers had already conceded two penalties, giving the Panthers good field position, when Lasen Marabe introduced himself to the home supporters with a bone crunching tackle on Mayberry that dislodged the ball. Rovers used the possession well as good offloads by Danny Allen and Jack Lee produced the platform for Dane Manning to burst through some ineffectual tackling on the left and score the first try of the afternoon. No conversion but enough to raise the hopes of the local following. 
Rovers' fans had been waiting for for seven months, as Jamie Field ran the ball in. Blackpool were penalised for interference in the tackle and from this set, fast hands to the left found Liam Wellham coming at pace to cross and score. Once again a missed kick, but Rovers had a lead that they were never going to lose. 
between the uprights. 
