When you're feeling sad and blue, just put yourself in a Fev fan's shoes. A whole campaign without a single win on the road is a Rugby League rarity - and the long-suffering Rovers' fans saw their team achieve it on Sunday.

From first whistle to final hooter, Hornets had complete control of this game - despite Featherstone's attempts to rattle and destabilise through a full repertoire of spoiling tactics.

As it was, Hally's side played neat, crisp football at a pace that Featherstone found way too hot to handle. Hornets got the show in the road after just seven minutes: Watson's quick ball to Radney Bowker; Bowker's break and slip to Dave Larder; Larder's cruise through the defence with Chris Irwin in support; try. Fluent and lovely to watch. Mick Nanyn added the extras.

Three minutes later Featherstone kicked a penalty into the deficit, but no sooner had they got settled when Hornets scored again. Watson to Bowker to... er... Smith! Smiffy blasting through a static defence to score.

But Rovers dug deep and came up with a try. Having worked the ball downfield, a swift flat pass from Briggs found Brendan O'Meara arriving at speed and he slammed in to score.

On 25 minutes Paul Southern crashed through tacklers from close range to score his first of the afternoon and, just past the half hour, ia Watson lobbed a delicate chip ofer a slow-turning defence for Radney Bowker to rush through and touch down. Half time 22 - 6 and the game effectively over as a contest.

Obviusly fired up by a few 'encouraging' words from their coach, Featherstone came out for the second half with a definite gameplan - mix it and see what happens. Unfortunately, what happens is that your big stupid prop hits Radney Bowker very late after the ball has gone and gets himself sent off. Dickens the culprit, Bowker examined by the doctor at pitchside and taken to hospital for checks. Featherstone did manage one moment of cohesive football as Flynn took advantage of a napping defence to score - Hally's frustration was obvious

It was the kick in the pants Hornets needed.

Faced with 12 desperate and demoralised men, Hornets turned the screw. On the hour Fetaherstone coughed the ball on their own 20 metre line and in the next set Watson was nipping in for a try of his own. Six minutes later, the impressive Southern did his stand-off act, stepping and jinking through to score.

With five minutes remaining Hornets exposed Rover's chronic lack of pace. Irwin broke from his own half down the right leaving Stokes and Flynn chasing shadows; faced With Nathan Graham he chipped the full back and it was Mick Nanyn who won the foot race to touch down and add the conversion. Job done - in style.

Hally was happy with the performance: "That was just about our best defensive effort so far," he said: " We worked hard for each other and did the basics right. Good, basic attacking football can be nice on the eye and that's what we had today. It was our best all-round performance of recent weeks - if not the season."

True - it was much more like the Hornets that we've become accustomed to and it sets up a cracker at Leigh next Sunday.

Meanwhile, it's back to the drawing board for Andy Kelly. Next week Rovers face Oldham in the game that could well settle 5th place (both have 14 points). With Whitehaven at home to Dewsbury, you can expect to see them in the playoffs in 6th place on 15 points (a draw could even get them in there given their points difference) - leaving the last available spot to the winner next week at Post Office Road.

For Oldham, nothing more than a win will do as their inferior points difference means a draw will leave them short.

It'll be an interesting afternoon all round next Sunday - and Hornets can now face Leigh with renewed confidence.

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