Featherstone Rovers ready to kick on after encouraging win over Widnes Vikings

Rovers have made a mixed start to 2024 with early elimination in the 1895 Cup and two home defeats already suffered in the league, but can be encouraged by their latest performance against Widnes Vikings.

Ford’s men followed up their impressive 46-4 mauling of Doncaster – who themselves won handsomely at Barrow Raiders last Sunday – with a 32-24 success against a Vikings team that came into the game off the back of four wins from their first four Championship matches.

The game itself summed up Fev’s season to date as they opened a healthy early lead and were 22-6 up early in the second half only to let it slip to fall behind 12 minutes from time.

They have not lacked spirit, however, and showed in abundance to keep going, finally being rewarded by two late Connor Wynne tries that sent Widnes home with their first defeat.

The victory lifted Featherestone up to fourth place in the table, just two points behind the Vikings and four behind the still unbeaten Wakefield Trinity and Sheffield Eagles.

They will be expecting to keep pressure on the top three in a run of fixtures now that look winnable if Fev can find the consistency to back up the rich promise of the last two fixtures.

Next up this Sunday is a trip to play Whitehaven, who are always a threat on home soil, but have lost three of their first five matches.

With games to follow against the misfiring Halifax Panthers, second from bottom Dewsbury Rams and a Barrow team also in the bottom half of the table Rovers will see their next group of fixtures as a chance to cement their place among the title challengers.

​They will not have the services of dual registration half-back Ben Reynolds for the first of those matches as he sits out the second of his two-match ban after being hit with a grade C foul and abusive language towards the match official charge while playing for Fev against Doncaster.

Rovers did have a quality dual reg player in their ranks for the Widnes game with Corey Hall allowed to play and the arrangement with Hull KR is already paying off.