Eighth placed Halifax Panthers looked on a hiding to nothing as they welcomed the runaway league leaders, Featherstone Rovers, to The Shay for an unusual Sunday evening kick-off in front of the ViaPlay cameras.
While Featherstone are already close to uncatchable for the Minor Premiership, and a shoe in for promotion, a win this evening would give them a ten-point cushion with just six games remaining in the regular season.
A win for the Panthers would lift them back into the top six and a potential play off place but they came into the game with one eye on next week’s 1895 Cup Final at Wembley Stadium.
The opening minutes were all Featherstone and Gadwin Springer opened the scorog with just two and a half minutes on the clock as he reversed over the line and spun over to ground under the sticks. Mark Kheirallah added a simple conversion, the flat cappers up and running.
Although initial fears were that this would be one-way traffic, Halifax struck back on six minutes with a delightful flowing team try as they moved the ball downfield through multiple hands, the ball dotted down by James Woodburn-Hall, Louis Jouffret adding the conversion to level the scores.
On ten the lead went back to the visitors, Kheirallah forcing the ball to the ground after Halifax had lost the ball in a dangerous passing move. The Fev’ full back added the conversion for 12-6.
A blow for Featherstone on fifteen as Kheirallah was sin-binned for taking out a Halifax player who was chasing a grubber kick into goal. Two minutes later and fast hands from Halifax saw Matty Gee palm off his tackler and run in on the angle. Jouffret added the goal, and the scores were all square again.
Halifax hit the front on twenty-one, a flying score by the left corner flag by Jake Maizen as the twelve men of Featherstone again struggled to slide their defence and cover. This time Jouffret was unable to convert from the touchline.
A stretched arm from Craig Kopczak on twenty-seven saw Featherstone back on level terms, the Halifax defence left rueing their poor tackling. Kheirallah was back on the field and added the conversion to put his side back in front.
It had been a rip-snorting first forty and there was very little to choose between the two sides as they headed for the sheds and their half time oranges.
The lead switched again six minutes into the second half after a Woodburn-Hall dummy and lunge for the line from ten metres out. Jouffret hit the mark with the conversion for 22-18. The home crowd sensed that a Panthers win was well and truly on the cards.
Featherstone were caught offside five out from their own line on fifty-eight, Jouffret adding another two points to the Halifax account for a six-point lead.
As Featherstone chased the game down the game became increasingly brutal with massive hits and ferocious defences from both sides, the rain adding to the drama.
With seven minutes remaining, Halifax made space for Woodburn-Hall to kick a drop goal and extend the lead. Two minutes later and the Panthers were in again at the corner but the referee spotted a foot in touch and ruled out the try.
With just over two minutes remaining Briscoe took the ball in space on the wing and went in at the corner. Kheirallah couldn’t add the touchline conversion, Rovers three points adrift with under two minutes remaining. It was too little, too late as the Panthers held on for the win.
It was a high-quality game with Halifax putting up much more resistance a week ahead of Wembley than Featherstone bargained for. The inflicted a second defeat of the season on the runaway leaders and demonstrated to them, once again, that they cannot take anything for granted as far as promotion is concerned. Brilliant preparation for the Panthers, but not really too much to worry about for Rovers.
Halifax Panthers: Pickersgill, Walmsley, Maizen (T), Crooks, Saltonstall, Jouffret (4G), Woodburn-Hall (2T, DG), Calcott, Moore, Murray, Kavanagh, Gee (T), Larroyer. Subs: O’Brien, Tangata, Lannon, Fleming. 18th Man: McComb.
Featherstone Rovers: Kheirallah (T, 3G, SB on 15), Briscoe, Leilua, Hankinson, Gale, Aekins, Astley, Springer (T), Wildie, Lockwood, Hau, Longstaff, Taylor. Subs: Jones, Cozza, Smith, Kopczak (T). 18th Man: Hall.
Half-Time: 16-18.
Full-Time: 25-22.
Score Progression: 0-4, 0-6, 4-6, 6-6, 6-10, 6-12, (SB), 10-12, 12-12, 16-12, 16-16, 16-18 : HT: 20-18, 22-18, 24-18, 25-18, 25-22 : FT.
Lead Exchanges: Featherstone – Square – Featherstone – Square – Halifax – Square – Featherstone - Halifax.
Referee: Liam Rush.
