HULL KR 40 OLDHAM 0
KASEY SMITH, Sewell Group Craven Park, Friday
HULL KR put in a professional performance as they outclassed Sean Long’s Oldham side to book their place in the Challenge Cup quarter-finals.
The Robins are the form side in Super League at the moment as they sit top of the tree after their best start to a top-flight campaign since 1985.
They lost out to Wigan in last year’s Grand Final and questions were raised if the Robins could pick themselves up from that defeat, but the early signs are they are in with a huge shot of silverware in 2025.
Last week, Hull KR ground St Helens down thanks to the work of their powerful pack and Willie Peters opted for a similar forward line against the resurgent Roughyeds side.
It was a similar story this week with the Robins finding more gaps in the Oldham line as the game wore on.
Tom Davies opened the scoring inside the opening ten minutes after a challenge on Kieran Dixon forced a knock-on, not far off the Oldham goal-line. Direct from the scrum, the winger had the pace and power to ground in the corner with Richardson adding the extras.
Tyrone May, orchestrating the attacks in the middle of the park, caused Oldham big problems with his short drop-off balls.
Despite going one score down, the Roughyeds were full of intent and could have brought the scores back level had somebody been on the end of Josh Drinkwater’s early kick under the posts, off the back of two penalties.
After withstanding the Oldham pressure, the Robins re-grouped to double the advantage through Whitbread who eased past a tired Oldham defence.
Putting Hull KR comfortably in front was Lee Kershaw who grounded in the corner after a left-field shift.
Moments later, that same move allowed Oliver Gildart to stroll through, making it 22-0 at half-time.
Sean Long named his strongest available squad to give them the best shot against the current Super League leaders, with Josh Drinkwater, Iain Thornley and Matty Ashurst among the seven changes to the side which lost out to Barrow the week before.
Riley Dean filled in at fullback in the place of loanee Phoenix Laulu-Togaga’e, unavailable to play against his parent club, and he was a highlight for the Championship side.
Roughyeds had nothing to lose, coming into the game, and they played that way, throwing the ball about and chancing their arm.
It was that unstructured play which allowed Dixon to go over after a bright, early second-half showing but the pass to him was forward.
A couple of Oldham errors provided the perfect opportunity for Hull KR to extend their lead, with Gildart capitalising to score another.
Bill Leyland got in on the act, scoring his first Robins try as he pounced on a Dixon loose carry just metres off his own line.
Another overload on the left edge allowed Broadbent to go over late on and there was to be no consolation for the Roughyeds who simply ran out of steam, despite their best efforts.
GAMESTAR: Tyrone May was a class above the rest in the halves.
GAMEBREAKER: Hull KR’s move, direct from a scrum, which resulted in Lee Kershaw’s try seven minutes before the break gave the Robins an unassailable lead.
HIGHLIGHT REEL: Tyrone May’s short drop-off pass to Jai Whitbread was a move straight from the Willie Peters coaching manual.
MATCHFACTS
HULL KR
18 Jack Broadbent
2 Tom Davies
3 Peta Hiku
4 Oliver Gildart
23 Lee Kershaw (D)
19 Danny Richardson
7 Tyrone May
8 Sauaso Sue
9 Jez Litten
16 Jai Whitbread
20 Kelepi Tanginoa
12 James Batchelor
13 Elliot Minchella
Subs (all used)
15 Sam Luckley
21 Jack Brown
24 Eribe Doro
25 Bill Leyland (D)
18th man (not used)
27 Leon Ruan
Also in 21-man squad
1 Niall Evalds
5 Joe Burgess
6 Mikey Lewis
Tries: Davies (7), Whitbread (21), Kershaw (33), Gildart (37, 56), Leyland (64), Broadbent (78)
Goals: Richardson 6/7
OLDHAM
7 Riley Dean
20 Jack Johnson
4 Iain Thornley
18 Jumah Sambou
2 Kieran Dixon
6 Danny Craven
23 Josh Drinkwater
8 Gil Dudson
9 Matty Wildie
15 Jay Chapelhow
11 Matty Ashurst
17 Elijah Taylor
13 Adam Milner
Subs (all used)
10 Owen Farnworth
19 Ted Chapelhow
16 Pat Moran
21 Lewis Baxter
18th man (not used)
24 Ben O’Keefe
Also in 21-man squad
12 Adam Lawton
22 Cian Tyrer
27 Ben Forster
SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 12-0, 16-0, 22-0; 28-0, 34-0, 40-0
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Hull KR: Tyrone May; Oldham: Josh Drinkwater
Penalty count: 4-4
Half-time: 22-0
Referee: Tom Grant
