Sensational Wakefield Trinity comeback sinks Featherstone Rovers

There were plenty of games today but the most anticipated matchup for the neutral was undoubtedly the clash between two of the unbeaten teams in pre-season so far.

Championship favourites Featherstone travelled across West Yorkshire to face rivals Wakefield Trinity with both sides having clocked two wins so far, both in impressive fashion as well.

Could Featherstone beat another Super League team or would Mark Applegarth’s perfect start at Belle Vue continue?

The answer that we got came during a brilliant game of rugby league but it went the way of Wakefield.

Early on, Fev through some good shapes at Trinity but some solid defence from the Super League side, notably from veteran Reece Lyne, kept them quite.

Eventually, after lots of back and forth, it was the Rovers who drew first blood and it was a player Wakefield fans know very well.

It was their former winger Kyle Evans who scored from a lovely kick.

Trinity looked to battle back with a former Rovers winger, Tom Lineham, having a chance but the Rovers had the numbers to deny him.

It was a chance Wakefield would regret not taking as minutes later Elijah Taylor crossed. Another player Wakefield will know well after they tried to sign him from Salford Red Devils.

It came from a lovely reverse kick from Lacans and made it 12-0 and it stayed that way till halftime though the Rovers could have had more. A brilliant try saver from Lineham stopped Hankinson on the break and later Hankinson dropped a pass when a try beckoned.

Trinity needed the first try of the second half and nearly got it through prolific winger Lewis Murphy but again Fev defended well.

It did come though and the game looked set for a grandstand final twenty following props Eddie Battye and Renouf Atoni crossing over in close succession to tie the game up at 12-12.

Mason Lino had converted Battye’s try but the starting half-back had to leave the field for a HIA meaning the kicking duties went to full-back Max Jowitt, who was in action just minutes later on the hour mark when Atoni powered over.

The NRL signing is proving to be a real handful in these pre-season games having also scored against Leeds in the Boxing Day clash.

Both sides came close as they fought to keep their unbeaten record of the pre-season in tact but it was a game played with full competitivity, at times becoming easy to forget it was pre-season based on the intensity.

With six minutes to go, Wakefield finally took the lead as Lyne caused havoc in the Fev defence paving the way for Corey Hall to score the winner on his return to the side from injury.

Trinity then wrapped up the contest as Max Jowitt danced through to make it 24-12.

Applegarth had named another side that was of a very high level, presumably their starting 13 for their round one clash with Catalans, showing the level of respect with which Trinity were showing Rovers.

The 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺. 💯

A reminder of today's team news with kick-off coming thick & fast. 👊

Let's go, Trin ⚜️ pic.twitter.com/qAhT3uZH2x

— Wakefield Trinity (@WTrinityRL) January 29, 2023

His counterpart Sean Long had also named a very strong side with the prospect of defeating a third Super League team in a row obviously the intention.

Ready to take on the Trin! ⚜️#WAKvFEV | #BlueWall pic.twitter.com/G8Log4ISNV

— Featherstone Rovers (@FevRoversRLFC) January 29, 2023

Featherstone will now prepare for their Championship opener, a week on Monday, against newly promoted Keighley Cougars.

As for Trinity they’re set to face Tony Smith’s Hull FC in one final pre-season game with the hope to end on a huge high and a second win over Super League opposition in the pre-season.