'Professional' Featherstone Rovers please head coach James Ford as they tick off some goals

​Rovers ran in 13 tries in a 72-0 success that was never in doubt as they fielded a strong side against their National Conference League opponents and reacted well to the narrow defeat at Batley Bulldogs the previous week.

“We’re obviously pleased to progress, these ties can be tricky as we’ve seen in recent years,” said head coach Ford.

"I thought it was a really professional performance from the lads.

"We came here with some goals – one was to improve our discipline and emotional control, which let us down last week, and to improve our attacking cohesion.

"I feel we are leaving having nailed those goals.

"There was an element in the second half that was a little bit scrappy, but we did take off a number of players to protect them. Overall I’m a happy coach.”

Ford was full of praise for the reception the team got from their hosts and paid tribute to Thatto Heath.

He added: “They have a wonderful set-up and the surface is sublime.

"It’s the best surface we have played on this season, including last season as well at the back end of the year.

"They were very welcoming and there was a real good turn out and I hope they did really well from the day.

“Good luck to them in the NCL.”

Rovers now go on to a much more testing tie in the fourth round later this month as they travel across West Yorkshire to face a Keighley Cougars side looking to bounce back from the disappointment of relegation from the Championship last year.

Already they are showing signs of improvement and making their intentions clear, as they indicated with a thumping 35-6 win over Championship opposition in Dewsbury Rams in the AB Sundecks 1895 Cup.