Featherstone 24-32 Hull KR: Jamie Peacock inspires Hull KR
By PA Sport
Last Updated: 18/09/16 9:50pm
Hull KR boosted their chances of avoiding the Million Pound Game with a 32-24 Qualifiers Super 8s victory over Featherstone.
James Webster's side have won both matches since head of rugby Jamie Peacock came out of retirement and will now battle it out with Huddersfield at Craven Park on Saturday to decide which club automatically retains its Super League status.
Cruising with a 32-12 lead 15 minutes from time the Robins were rocked by a quick double from Misi Taulapapa, both converted by Kyle Briggs.
However, with former Leeds skipper Peacock thrown back into the fray Hull KR just about wrestled back control from the battling part-timers.
Indeed, two minutes of madness at the end of the first half ensured Featherstone undeservedly trailed 16-12 at the break.
Jon Sharp's Kingstone Press Championship side were good value for a hard fought 12-4 advantage thanks to tries from on-loan Leeds pair Josh Walters and James Duckworth plus two kicks from Briggs.
But with half-time beckoning, they came up with two handling errors to tip the balance Hull KR's way.
Taulapapa's knock-on followed by a penalty for lying on was punished as hooker Shaun Lunt raced on to Maurice Blair's pass. Josh Mantellato, who touched down for the visitors' first try after 14 minutes, kicked the conversion.
Almost immediately he crossed for a second time after 39 minutes. Duckworth and Danny Craven both converged on Matty Marsh's high kick and gave the Australian winger his opportunity to surge onto the loose ball and speed over unopposed.
Featherstone's resilience was broken and the Robins' revival continued at the start of the second half.
Centre Thomas Minns followed up his hat-trick in the previous weekend's rout of London Broncos with two more here, crossing after 45 and 53 minutes to take his Qualifiers try tally to nine.
When second row James Greenwood charged over after 62 minutes, the Robins looked in total control. Mantellato's goal took his personal tally to 16 points and gave Hull KR a 20-point advantage.
With Peacock watching from the sidelines, Taulapapa twice carved through the visitors' defence to reduce the arrears to just eight points.
That was the cue for Peacock to return to the action but it needed a flying tackle from Ben Cockayne to deny Luke Briscoe a try in the closing couple of minutes.
