Featherstone Rovers 'underdogs' ready to get play-offs job done at York

Rovers went back up to fifth with a 50-12 win over bottom of the table Dewsbury Rams and know they face a much tougher task to earn another two points when they travel to the LNER Community Stadium to play the team in fourth.

A win is likely to be needed to seal a play-off spot for Ford's men with sixth-placed Sheffield Eagles and seventh-placed Widnes Vikings set to meet two of the bottom four in their last matches of the regular season and only one point separating the sides from fourth down to seventh.

The Knights beat Rovers 34-24 at the Millennium Stadium back in June, but a revenge victory would guarantee Featherstone a fourth place finish and they are excited for the challenge ahead.

Head coach Ford said: “York are a good team, they've got good players across the park and are in a rich vein of form.

“We'll focus on being better, go to York with a plan and give everything we've got.

“We haven't given up on this year. There's a lot of spirit in there, a lot of fight, spirit, togetherness and a lot of talent as well.

“We'll go to York as massive underdogs, but we'll go to York with belief we can get the job done.”

Ford described Rovers' display against Dewsbury, but is expecting an improved display in the final regular season game at York.

He explained: “I'm obviously really pleased to post 50 points. There were some good aspects of our attack and defence, but I thought we left a number of opportunities out there.

“We bombed some really simple ones.

“I felt our spine combined much better, but we've still got some distance to travel.

“I'm really confident we'll improve again next week.

“Thomas Lacans came in on the right edge and gave us a bit of sharpness, a bit of spark.

“Caleb Aekins came back into the team and reminded us what a quality player he is. Brad Day came back as well and gave us some punch.

“Fortunately we were in a position to withdraw a few people and protect them for next week.”

Whatever the outcome of the York game, Ford is confident good times can be just round the corner for Fev supporters.

He added: “We are in a transition period, this season has been tremendously difficult.

“A number of players left the club and come to the club, there's been numerous battles off the field and on the field.

“You look at some of the biggest clubs in sport – Man United, Arsenal Leeds Rhinos, St Helens - they are all going through or who have gone through transitional periods and it takes time.

“We are in that period now and I don't think we're a million miles away, just a couple of wins behind Toulouse who are second.

“There's been moments on the field where we've been a bit off, but I think we are going in the right direction off the field and that will have a massive impact on the direction we go in on the field.

“Next season and the season after that will be really exciting times to be a Featherstone Rovers fan.”