Marshall relishing Halifax cup clash with Fev

Halifax head coach Richard Marshall believes Thursday’s Challenge Cup tie at Featherstone will be a good measure of how far his team have progressed this season.

The two sides met back in February with Rovers edging a tight contest, but Halifax have gradually improved since then and will head into the sixth round tie on the back of a six game winning streak.

“We’re in a good spot at the moment – we’re going to get tested on Thursday and that’ll probably do us the world of good,” Marshall told the BBC.

“We’ve not had our own way in the Championship this year. Although we’re on a winning streak, we’ve not been putting teams to bed adequately and our defence has lapsed at times, but this will be a great game on Thursday.

“It’s 35 years since Halifax won the competition – it won’t make or break our season if we win or lose, but it’ll give both teams an indication of where they’re at.

“There’s never more than a few points between us and I envisage it being the same on Thursday – I just hope that we come out on the right side of the scoreline.

“We played them on the first game of the season – I’ve looked over my notes to review the game and the crowd was sensational.

“There is a rivalry between the two teams and I think we can compete with them. Featherstone are ahead of us in terms of the competition and off the field at this moment in time, but we need to recognise where we are and develop.

“Games like this don’t come around too often for some of these young players, but my feet are firmly on the ground. I know what’s at stake, but they also know that it won’t make or break our season.”