FEATHERSTONE Rovers handed Barrow Raiders an eight-try 48-12 hiding at Post Office Road to climb into the Betfred Championship top-six play-off places.
Rovers ran riot in the first half, running in five tries all created by imaginative attacking play with Ryan Hampshire and Ben Reynolds pulling the strings, the forwards, led by man of the match skipper Danny Addy. well on top of their opposite numbers throughout and heavy ball-carriers in dominating form.
They conceded an early try in each half – the only blots on an otherwise superb display which saw Glover (2), Gale, Reynolds, Jubb, Webb, Springer and Vuniyayawa score tries and goal-kicking maestro Reynolds notch 16 points with the boot by full-time.
Determined to bounce back from the previous week’s sub-par defeat at high-flying York Knights, head coach Paul Cooke made three starting changes – two forced by injuries to Connor Wynne and Brad Day.
Back in on the wing came Derrell Olpherts, with dual-reg Hull KR forward Leon Ruan replacing Day and King Vuniyayawa was recalled as a starter.
Gadwin Springer dropped to the bench alongside Connor Jones, Pat Moran and Sitaleki Akauola.
Rovers knew a win would lift them into sixth place in the table and into play-off contention, but they knew fifth-placed Barrow, who they had beaten comfortably in Cumbria a few weeks earlier, could be a handful given any leeway on the road.
Back in on the wing came Derrell Olpherts, with dual-reg Hull KR forward Leon Ruan replacing Day and King Vuniyayawa was recalled as a starter.
Gadwin Springer dropped to the bench alongside Connor Jones, Pat Moran and Sitaleki Akauola.
Rovers took just three minutes to get their noses in front at the end of their first attacking set, when Gale dived on Hardcastle’s clever nudge in the right corner with Reynolds adding the touchline conversion.
But they immediately handed Barrow an equalising reply with poor defending, which allowed McMillan to force his way over next to the posts, making the conversion easy for Johnston.
The visitors looked likely to go in front in the 16th minute when Johnston’s chip over the top caught out the Rovers defence, but they wasted the chance when Ritson knocked onin the corner with the line at his me rcy.
Responding well, Rovers scored at the other end when Jubb finished off by the posts to round off determined attacking play. Reynolds’ second conversion gave the home side a 12-6 lead with 21 minutes gone.
Hampshire and Reynolds then combined to stetch Rovers’ lead in the 27th minute, racing through to touch down when Hampshire chipped cleverly over the top for Reynolds, who added the conversion
With the bit now firmly between their teeth and their tails up, Rovers scored again when deft footwork and a clever offload from Addy left Webb with a simple walk-in on the left. Reynolds again converted with ease.
Glover added another Rovers try before half-time, virtually strolling over on the left after yet more clever work from Hampshire and Reynolds sliced open the Barrow defence.
Reynolds’ fifth successful conversion sent rampant Rovers into the shed at the interval with a well-deserved 30-6 lead.
Rovers immediately picked up where they left off at the restart, taking just two minutes for Glover to grab his second try of the match, profiting from the near telepathic connection between Hampshire and Reynolds to cruise over in the corner with Reynolds adding the extras.
Stung by that setback, Barrow responded with a try from Costello as Rovers were again caught short of defensive numbers down the right. Johnston’s conversion cut Rovers’ lead to 36-12.
Springer strolled through a yawning gap under the posts when Reynolds picked out his storming run in the 57th minute and Reynolds converted to effectively kill Barrow off with over well 20 minutes left to play.
Barrow went down to 12 men when Bishop was shown a red card for throwing an off-the-ball punch at Webb as the visitors’ steadily mounting frustration steadily finally boiled over.
And Rovers took full advantage when Hampshire chipped under the posts for Vuniyayawa to gather and touch down for Rovers’ eighth converted try.
Featherstone Rovers: Aekins, Gale, Hardcastle, Glover, Olpherts, Reynolds, Hampshire, Vuniyayawa, Jubb, Beckett, Ruan, Webb, Addy.
Interchanges: Jones, Moran, Akauola, Springer.
Barrow Raiders: Cresswell, Ritson, Teare, Broadbent, Toal, Bishop, Johnston, Waqker, Smith, Bullock, Robson, Costello, McMillan.
Interchanges: Doolan, Emslie, Silva, Brown.
Referee: S. Mikalauskas