Featherstone Rovers coach Paul Cooke defends players for big efforts in loss at York

The Rovers boss was less happy with the officials, particularly after an incident that saw winger Connor Wynne having to go off with a back injury, and disappointed the players could not maintain the momentum after two tries had got them to within four points of York early in the second half.

He felt the final 30-8 score was harsh on his team and said: ​”I have got to defend the team, I thought they worked their socks off.

"We lost Connor Wynne to a knees into the back and then we don’t know whether we’ve got another change or not. We want to make more changes and the officials didn’t know whether it’s gone on report or not.

"I’ve got to question that, I’ve got to ask why they are not on the same page so we don’t know whether we’ve go two changes or one left at the end.

"They score a try to get out to 18-8 and we would have used that change to change a player who cost us in the lead up that try."

On Wynne’s injury Cooke explained: “He’s in real pain and he’s not in real pain for no reason – somebody’s hit him in his lower back with the knees, it’s as simple as that.

"It’s gone against us and it’s got to change, the luck’s got to come to us.

"We’re disappointed to lose him and it meant a big rejig, Jubby going back on, Jonesy, who was playing in the middle of the field, going to centre and Glover going onto the wing – players out of position so I’m proud of their efforts in all of that.

"At 12-8 when he went off we were still in the game, but once that try was scored we felt we only had one change left and then we get one given back to us – and that’s not right.

"I felt York beat us up a bit in the middle of the field, they were a little bit more physical than us and controlled the ruck speed a little bit better than us and that’s something we can control. They’re the questions I will ask of the players.”

Cooke is expecting a big challenge again when Fev host Barrow Raiders this Sunday.

"They’re a really good team, they work hard for each other and we’re going to have it all on.

"We’re going to have to fix some up stuff because there’s some stuff in there where I’m not happy with the players and there’s other stuff I’m not happy with that we are going to question with the officials."