Featherstone Rovers 48 Gateshead Thunder 6 Featherstone stepped up a gear from the previous week's game against York to overwhelm a gritty Gateshead team.
The break came on the tenth minute. Good hands from left to right looked as though Pryce was there to be put through on the wing but Kirk took the tackle instead and from the play the ball Stuart Dickens drove through the tacklers to reach out and score. He converted his own try and the score was 6 - 0. Rovers were holding the Gateshead team well during this first quarter and the closest they came was when a kick through had to be knocked over the dead ball line by Waine Pryce for a goal line drop out. Featherstone came close only a minute after this when it looked as though good handling would put Pryce in at the corner but he was tackled into touch. From the change over Gateshead worked their way up field and a bomb to the Featherstone line was well collected by Waine Pryce, who seemed to be involved in everything at the time. Rovers continued to pin the Thunder back in their own half thanks to good defence and some sensible kicking by Andy Kain. On 22 minutes a good break by Tommy Saxton, who was coming more and more into the game, was fed out again to Waine Pryce who didn't have the room to beat his marker. No matter, because from the resulting 'play the ball' Andy Kirk sliced through the static defence to score under the sticks. Once again converted by Stuart Dickens and the Rovers were 12 - 0 in the lead. From the kick off Rovers came straight back down the field to score. A good break from Andy Kain well supported by Stuart Dickens made the ground and on the next tackle when the ball was spread to the right, Tommy Haughey was there to power Gateshead were still putting in the effort though and hard running from Dean Jamieson got them close to the Rovers line but good defence once again kept them out. Just after the half hour mark, Rovers pressure caused a knock on in the Gateshead half. Tommy Haughey picked up at the back of the resulting scrum, fed Andy Kain The Gateshead kick off went straight over the dead ball line and Rovers had a tap penalty on the half way line. Good drives by Wildbore, Saxton and Tonks once again put Rovers in striking distance and Andy Kain was held just short on the sixth tackle. Gateshead 's misery continued though, when on the first play after the turnover, good defence initially by Tommy Haughey forced the player over the line for a goal line drop-out. Rovers were unable to capitalise on the extra set though, and when the whistle went for half time looked good value for the 22- 0 score line. The second half started much as the first half had ended. Good Rovers pressure with some very good tactical kicking from Andy Kain meant that Rovers came close on a number of occasions until good pressure ended with the ball being spun to the left for Loz Wildbore to burst through the tackle and score. Once again the try was unconverted and with only 3 minutes of the half gone the score was 26- 0. After one of a number of penalties given away by Rovers the Thunder made a rare foray into the Rovers 20 and good passing from right to left by the Gateshead half backs led to Dean Jamieson stepping well off his left foot to cut through the line and score close to the posts. The conversion by Michael Watton momentarily raised the spirits of the visiting fans. The game suffered over the next few minutes spoiled by too many penalties from an over zealous Mr Dawber but Rovers got back on track when an inside ball to Richard Blakeway allowed the second rower to spin in the tackle and put Tony Tonks in for a good try. With Dickens back on the field and a much easier kick the conversion went over and Rovers entered the fourth quarter well in command. Once again Rovers scored on back to back sets. From the kick off good ground was made up field by the forwards until Andy Kain once again put boot to ball, dropping it into the space ahead of Waine Pryce who first tapped it with his foot and then gathered it to dive over for another score, converted by Dickens. Gateshead were finding it impossible to break the Rovers line and were restricted to kicks which were well dealt with by Pryce and Wildbore. On the 73 rd minute Carl Hughes constant support of the man with the ball paid off when substitute James Houston released the ball in the tackle for Carl to score. Hughes nearly scored again soon after this when with the line open to him the ball inside from McHugh was just too high for him to take. The scoring was completed when Wayne McHugh latched onto a good pass to score in the corner. Unconverted the game finished 48 - 6 to Rovers. The man of the match was Waine Pryce but certainly Andy Kain must have run him very close as the instigator of so much good work in the Rovers attack. Still enough to work on but a very good display both in attack and defence.
Half Time 22 - 0 Referee Mr M Dawber Scoring sequence 6-0, 12-0, 18-0, 22-0, 26-0, 26-6, 32-6, 38-6, 44-6, 48-6 Game breaker: Tries from consecutive sets half way through the first half coupled with Stuart Dickens excellent kicking gave Rovers the confidence and belief to kick on. Crowd 1037. © 2008 Stuart Lonsdale Any comments (constructive criticism welcomed) or volunteers please email webmaster@featherstonerovers.net
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Rovers kicked off towards the Post Office Road end and for the first few sets made good ground down the slope whilst tackling well to contain the Thunder team who were spreading the ball wide through their half back partnership of Thorman and Watton. 
over in typical fashion. With the try being scored only 2 metres from the touch line this was a more difficult kick but Stuart had brought his kicking boots today and the ball sailed over for an 18 - 0 lead. The ball seemed to be moving through the three quarters with a lot more purpose and Rovers were very much in command. 
on his left, whose well weighted kick bounced kindly for Wayne McHugh to catch the ball and score in the corner. With Stuart Dickens off the field for Ian Tonks, Joe McLocklan missed a difficult conversion from the touchline. Score 22- 0. 
Converted by Dickens. 
