Brian McDermott pleased as Featherstone Rovers overcome adversity at Barrow

Rovers ran in seven tries in a 34-24 success that kept the pressure on leaders Leigh Centurions.

But they were made to fight hard for the win with a number of injuries to key players picked up.

"I thought it was a really, really. really good performance,” said McDermott.

"Not without its adversity and not without us taking our foot off the gas to a degree and some silly moments from us.

"But at this stage of the year you can’t go on and do the big stuff without a collective team effort and having some unity in your team and that was demonstrated enormously.

"To go and lose Matty Wildie, to go lose Connor Jones for a long period of time and to lose Fordy there was some moving and shaking going on in the field. Because we were down some pivotal people it was a game constantly of that.

"And all the while Barrow have got a sniff of a win and we are away. All those ingredients put, in wow we had some fight, it was really good.”

Rovers found themselves behind early on as Tee Ritson intercepted a pass on his own line and raced the length of the field. Ryan Shaw converted.

The game was level on 10 minutes when Jack Broadbent latched onto Johnathon Ford’s grubber kick to score and Craig Hall added the extras.

Two tries in quick succession then put Featherstone in control. First Craig Kopczak went through a gap to score then Josh Hardcastle went over and with Hall converting both it was 18-6.

Joey Leilua was next to score with a strong solo effort after taking the ball from acting-half and shrugging off three defenders over the line to score.

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The loss of Ford to a head injury interrupted Rovers’ progress and soon after they went down to 12 men with Broadbent sin-binned. Barrow took advantage of their extra man as Ritson scored his second try, again goaled by Shaw.

When full-back Luke Cresswell went over early in the second half and Shaw added the extras there was suddenly only four points between the teams.

Leilua gave Fev breathing space again with a try only for Barrow to score again through Jarrod Sammut. The goal by Shaw made it 26-24.

It was game on now, but Rovers responded well to clinch victory. Morgan Smith scored after a show and go then Ben Hellewell’s try three minutes time rounded off the scoring.