Rovers set to entertain unbeaten league leaders

John Fieldhouse's side, who sit fourth in the table, head into the game on the back of a 50-10 victory at Eastmoor Dragons.

But Hunslet can be crowned champions with a point on Saturday, kick off 2.30pm at Monks Sports Club, Hillock Lane, Woolston.

“This is a really exciting game for us to look forward to and one that we can measure how far we have come during the season since we played them at their place earlier in the campaign," said Fieldhouse.

“They are a big side with some very skilful players but I like to think that we have got plenty of ability in our ranks and we will be going into the game with a lot of confidence.

“If we can play at our best then we could be in for a very special afternoon.

“It certainly is a game that you don’t want to miss.”

Justin Becher, Harry Files, Wil Maudsley, Lewis Hoarty, Sean Conway, James Rosson, Christian Taylor, Dan Fearnley, and Danny Johnson were all on the scoresheet against Eastmoor.

“I was impressed with how we controlled the game from the offset and never really let them get on the front foot," added Fieldhouse.

“Our defence was superb throughout with the only blemishes being two missed tackles that allowed them to score and our attack was very clinical which the Dragons couldn’t contain and we ran in 10 tries.

“The whole team contributed which is the most pleasing aspect as we pride ourselves on having a great work ethic for each other.”

Rovers were in control from the off against Eastmoor and built up a commanding half-time lead before consolidating their superiority in the second half to register another fine away victory that all but guarantees them a play-off place.

Woolston opened the scoring in the second minute when stand-off Will Chadwick slipped a lovely ball to centre Justin Becher, who scored at the right of the posts and eight minutes later Chadwick found hooker Ryan Brown and his short ball was collected by loose forward Harry Files who pushed off an attempted tackle to score at the left of the posts.

Shortly afterwards a fine ball from Files found Brown who slipped a lovely ball to full-back Wil Maudsley who linked into the line and scored in the right corner but then Eastmoor hit back when stand-off James Slater put scrum-half Jacob Lord through a gap to score.

Slater added the conversion.

Rovers responded on the half hour when a great break by Brown split the Dragons defence and he found scrum-half Billy Maunder in support to race thirty metres and score in the left corner.

Winger Chris Twigg took over the kicking duties to land Rovers first conversion of the afternoon and then four minutes later substitute Lewis Hoarty intercepted an Eastmoor pass on the halfway line and raced fifty metres to score at the right of the posts.

Twigg added the extras.

A minute before the break a long ball back inside from Files found Brown and he passed out to substitute Sean Conway who scored under the posts.

Twigg converted and then added a penalty right on half time to give his side a deserved 32-6 interval advantage.

Ten minutes into the second half Rovers were awarded a penalty and from that they moved the ball through several sets of hands before it reached centre James Rosson who collected and scored wide out on the left and seven minutes later Rosson turned provider as he slipped a lovely ball out to winger Christian Taylor who went through a gap to score in the left corner.

Rovers continued to dominate and a great run from second row Tom Keevil was carried on by Twigg and he managed to get the ball out wide to prop forward Chris Mellor who slipped the ball back inside to substitute Dan Fearnley who scored on the left.

Twigg converted but then Eastmoor hooker Danny Johnson profited from some poor Rovers defence to score wide out on the right.

Right on the stroke of full time Rovers brought up the half century when Files made a break which was carried on by Brown and he fed Hoarty who gave a lovely ball out to Twigg who scored in the right corner to make the final score 50-10.

Man of the match was awarded to Rovers prop forward Jack Sherratt.

He was very well supported by hooker Ryan Brown, loose forward Harry Files, prop forward Chris Mellor and centre Justin Becher while Wil Maudsley was outstanding at full-back on his first start.

Rovers: Wil Maudsley; Chris Twigg, Justin Becher, James Rosson, Christian Taylor; Will Chadwick, Billy Maunder; Jack Sherratt, Ryan Brown, Chris Mellor, Anthony Clayton, Tom Keevil, Harry Files. Subs: Olly Hands, Lewis Hoarty, Dan Fearnley, Sean Conway.

Rovers A slipped to a 48-12 defeat at Leigh Miners Rangers A on Saturday.

They were due to visit Accrington Panthers in the NWML Division Two this week, but Accrington have dropped out of the league.

Their next fixture is a week on Saturday when they entertain Golborne Parkside, kick off 2.30pm at Monks Sports Club.

A brave effort from Rovers A proved to be in vein as they were defeated by high-flying Leigh Miners Rangers A in the NWML Division Two on Saturday.

An under-strength Rovers side gave their all against their opponents and were in the game for 70 minutes but the last 10 minutes saw the away side score five unanswered tries.

Leigh Miners opened the scoring in the third minute when second row Declan Flannery scored.

Centre Adam Ashurst converted but Rovers hit back three minutes later when hooker Tom Hardman took a quick tap penalty and caught the Miners defence off guard to score on the left.

Stand-off Peter Leonard added the conversion.

Just after the midway point of the half Miners went back in front when winger Neil Shackcloth raced fifty metres to score under the posts.

Ashurst converted and then on the half hour full back Scott Travis linked into the line to score at the side of the posts.

Ashurst added the conversion.

Three minutes before the break Miners moved further ahead when centre Adam Thomason offloaded on the last tackle and second row Jack Ford picked up the ball to score on the right.

Ashurst converted to give his side a 24-6 interval lead.

Thirteen minutes into the second half Rovers got themselves back into the game when Leonard went down the blind side and found Hardman whose long ball was collected by winger Kyle Nicholson who squeezed over in the right corner.

Leonard converted from the touchline but as the game entered the final ten minutes Miners’ substitute Ryan Monaghan finished off a fine move to kill off any hopes of a Rovers’ comeback.

Shortly afterwards Miners’ scrum-half Jamie Hall danced round the Rovers’ defence to score at the side of the posts.

Ashurst converted and then a quick tap penalty saw the ball sent out wide to Ford who raced forty metres to score on the right.

In the last two minutes Miners added tries from Thomason and a second from Ford, goaled by Ashurst to complete a 48-12 win that was very harsh on the Rovers’ boys.

Best for Rovers were loose-forward Mike Ward, centre Danny Brown, scrum-half Ian Ward and centre Chris Brown.

Rovers A: Liam Sullivan; Dave Lawless, Danny Brown, Chris Brown, Kyle Nicholson; Peter Leonard, Ian Ward; Max Ainsworth, Tom Hardman, Tom Fagan, Lloyd Feather, Tom Woodward, Mike Ward. Subs: Alistair Worrall, Conor Gerrard.