Hornets suffered a predictable defeat in Tuesday’s re-arranged Northern Rail Cup game at Bigfellas Stadium but they were far from disgraced.

They always faced a mountainous task against Championship outfit Featherstone who were desperate to bounce back from a 36-6 drubbing at Leigh Centurions in their previous match.

Hornets caught the backlash as Rovers showed their best form this season to run in 11 tries.

The visitors were a clear second best in all departments and never recovered from a dreadful start – they were 10-0 down after just six minutes – but they earned top marks for battling to the end after trailing 30-0 at half-time.

Their attitude was typified when loose-forward Danny Smith failed to take a pass in the 54th minute.

Featherstone’s Liam Finn scooped up the ball and looked a certain scorer when he sprinted 50 metres down the touchline. But Smith made amends for his error by racing after him to make a magnificent try-saving tackle.

However, apart from that incident, little seemed to go Hornets’ way in the dreadful, cold, muddy, snowy conditions.

They were frequently pinned back by Rovers scrum-half Finn’s accurate kicks and often had difficulty getting out of their own 20.

When Hornets did create attacking positions, they invariably lost the ball.

Half-backs Chris Hough and Dean Hatton tried their best and put in some promising kicks but they never seemed to come off in the right areas of the pitch.

Hard-working hooker Phil Wood was another of Rochdale’s stand-out players but generally Featherstone held all the aces, with strong-running second-rower Jonny Grayshon causing the visitors big problems.

Hornets were under the cosh from the start and quickly fell behind when Jon Steel scored from a high kick and Grayshon powered over from Finn’s inside pass.

Hornets first attack broke down when Featherstone’s Danny Allan intercepted Hatton’s pass 10 metres from the try line.

Their next raid resulted in winger Ryan McPaul being tackled into touch at the corner after good handling.

Both teams then seemed to become bogged down in the mud before Featherstone moved up a gear.

Aaron Dobek went over from acting half, Steel and Grayshon both bagged their second tries and Ross Divorty also crossed in a devastating 14-minute spell to put the hosts virtually out of sight at the break.

Hornets brought on substitutes Paul Crook and Andy Hore at the start of the second-half and they both made their presence felt.

However, Rovers were in no mood to ease up and shot further ahead with two tries from Papua New Guinea winger Lasen Marabe and one by Ian Hardman.

Hornets finally opened their account in the 62nd minute when Smith figured in a build up that saw Dane Gorton score at the corner.

Kyle Briggs and Jessie Joe Parker added further tries for Rovers but Hornets had the last word, two minutes from time, when Wayne Corcoran forced his way over from close range and Hatton kicked the conversion.

Hornets coach John Stankevitch said: "Although we lost all four Northern Rail Cup games, we finished strongly in all four matches and scored the last try. That says we have bags of courage and a never-say-die attitude."

Match stats

Featherstone: Hardman; Steel, Allan, Welham, Marabe; Briggs, Finn; Tonks, Dobek, Dickens, Grayshon, Manning, Field. Subs: Divorty, Sheriffe, Lee, Parker. Tries: Steel (2, 30), Grayshon (6, 33), Marabe (45, 59), Dobek (25), Divorty (39), Hardman (50), Briggs (65), Parker (69). Goals: Briggs 5, Dobek.

Hornets: Johnson; McPaul, Gorton, Reid, Wayne; Hough, Hatton; Rattery, Wood, Hayes, Hobson, Corcoran, Smith. Subs: Crook, Cookson, Hore, Cocker. Tries: Gorton (62), Corcoran (78). Goal: Hatton.

Penalties: 5-4.

Half-time: 30-0.

Referee: Craig Halloran (Dewsbury).