Championship round-up: Featherstone go six points clear as Barrow ease past Bradford

Featherstone went six points clear at the top of the Championship table after grinding out a 28-20 win over Sheffield.

It was a nail-biting encounter at Post Office Road, which saw the game down to 12 v 10 men at one point.

Josh Hardcastle, Tom Briscoe (2), Jack Bussey and Caleb Aekins went over for Rovers.

Meanwhile, Bayley Liu, Matty Dawson-Jones (2) and Ben Jones-Bishop crossed the whitewash for the Eagles.

Featherstone’s win sees them move six points clear of Toulouse and Sheffield at the top of the league.

Swinton Lions kicked off the Championship weekend with a stunning 19-12 win over Toulouse Olympique.

Bolstered by new signings Ben Davies, Luke Thomas and George Roby, Allan Coleman’s Lions claimed their third win of the season.

Mathieu Laguerre and Ugo Tison featured for Toulouse on dual-registration from Catalans, and there was a long-awaited debut for Scotland international Calum Gahan.

In the early kick-off on Sunday afternoon, Halifax Panthers picked up a 36-16 away at Newcastle Thunder.

Ireland international Joe Keyes racked up a personal tally of 20 points, having scored two tries and kicked six goals. Lachlan Walmsley, James Woodburn-Hall, Zack McComb and Tom Inman also got on the scoresheet for the Panthers.

Luke Cresswell hat-trick inspires Barrow

Barrow Raiders picked up their second win of the season as they eased past Bradford Bulls 46-12 on home soil.

Luke Cresswell bagged a hat-trick for the Raiders, with Luke Broadbent getting a brace. Rio-Osayomwanbo Corkill, Shane Toal and Jarrod Sammut went over for Barrow.

Keighley Cougars edged past Whitehaven 32-24 in a close encounter in Cumbria.

Thomas Doyle, Mark Ioane, Ben Crooks (2) and Dane Chisholm crossed for the Cougars, with the latter racking up an individual tally of 14 points.

Guy Graham (2), Dave Eccleston and Curtis Teare scored for Whitehaven.

York Knights claimed the spoils in a 30-28 thriller against London Broncos at the LNER Community Stadium.

Local lad AJ Towse bagged a hat-trick for the Knights, with experienced pair Chris Clarkson and Ukuma Ta’ai also scoring for the hosts.

Ethan Natoli, Jordan Williams, Wellington Albert, Marcus Stock and Emmanuel Waine scored for the Broncos.

Batley Bulldogs host Widnes Vikings in this round’s televised fixture on Monday night, live on Viaplay Sports 1 (7:45pm).

Championship Round 10 results

Swinton Lions 19-12 Toulouse Olympique

Newcastle Thunder 16-36 Halifax Panthers

Barrow Raiders 46-12 Bradford Bulls

Featherstone Rovers 28-20 Sheffield Eagles

Whitehaven 24-32 Keighley Cougars

York Knights 30-28 London Broncos

Batley Bulldogs v Widnes Vikings (Mon)

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