ST HELENS 10 HULL KR 20
KASEY SMITH, Totally Wicked Stadium, Friday
WE have been treated to a number of cracking games since the start of the season and this one did not disappoint as Hull KR secured their fourth straight win to go to the top of Super League.
Both sides went into the game with an unblemished win record and neither wanted to give it up, but it was Hull KR’s relentless pressure that finally paid off in the second half.
St Helens showed how dangerous they could be – they levelled after being under huge pressure in one of their first attacks after the half-hour mark. But they couldn’t find enough field position to do any significant damage.
Early on, it was looking like it was going to be an easy two points for last year’s Grand Finalists, who had Saints camped on their own line in the first quarter.
Opening the scoring was Mikey Lewis after he reacted first to ground the ball when Harry Robertson did not deal with Tyrone May’s high-hanging cross-field kick.
Head coach Willie Peters will be questioning how his side did not capitalise on their explosive start as they stayed just one score in front at the break, despite all their efforts.
Poor last-play kicks, coupled with handling errors, kept Saints under the pump, but it was their ability to absorb pressure and stay in the contest which was most impressive.
As the minutes ticked by and the scoreline remained favourable, they grew in confidence. The introduction of Agnatius Paasi off the bench, too, made a real difference with his strong carries and offloads causing Hull KR real danger in the final third.
Their response came from class play by Jack Welsby who spotted a gap for Curtis Sironen, off the back of an offload, as he pinged a kick behind the Robins defence and the second-rower did the rest, with Percival edging the home side in front from the boot.
But some of Saints’ earlier indiscipline crept back in, and it was an unforgivable error from Kyle Feldt, guilty of ruck interference as he conceded the penalty, which led to KR’s second try, just moments before the hooter went.
Tom Davies produced a moment of magic with a flying finish in the corner after a right shift, to put the Robins back in front.
Saints were made to pay for all their first-half defending as the Robins emerged from the sheds in the second half buoyed.
It wasn’t long before they edged further ahead when Oliver Gildart pounced on a first-class Burgess offload from a high-hanging Lewis kick.
He was in again shortly after when a quick shift allowed Burgess to leave Robertson for dust and offload to his centre to score his second.
Welsby gave Saints hope when he eased off the tackles to power over and bring them back within ten points.
But the St Helens attacks became more desperate as the game wore on and Hull KR hung on for a vital win.
GAMESTAR: Joe Burgess produced a couple of moments of brilliance, further proving his credentials as a big-game player.
GAMEBREAKER: The Burgess line-break which allowed Oliver Gildart to score his second proved to be the killer blow.
HIGHLIGHT REEL: Joe Burgess’ offload for the first try of the second half, just as he was being wrapped up on the last, was a moment of magic.
ALBERT GOLDTHORPE POINTS
3 pts Joe Burgess (Hull KR)
2 pts Jack Welsby (St Helens)
1 pt Oliver Gildart (Hull KR)
MATCHFACTS
SAINTS
1 Jack Welsby
2 Kyle Feldt
26 Harry Robertson
4 Mark Percival
5 Jon Bennison
6 Tristan Sailor
7 Jonny Lomax
8 Alex Walmsley
9 Daryl Clark
19 George Delaney
11 Curtis Sironen
12 Joe Batchelor
13 Morgan Knowles
Subs (all used)
16 Matt Whitley
17 Agnatius Paasi
18 Jake Wingfield
21 Noah Stephens
18th man (not used)
15 James Bell
Also in 21-man squad
10 Matty Lees
14 Moses Mbye
23 Jake Burns
Tries: Sironen (31), Welsby (66)
Goals: Percival 1/2
HULL KR
18 Jack Broadbent
2 Tom Davies
3 Peta Hiku
4 Oliver Gildart
5 Joe Burgess
6 Mikey Lewis
7 Tyrone May
8 Sauaso Sue
14 Michael McIlorum
10 Jared Waerea-Hargreaves
11 Dean Hadley
12 James Batchelor
13 Elliot Minchella
Subs (all used)
9 Jez Litten
15 Sam Luckley
16 Jai Whitbread
20 Kelepi Tanginoa
18th man (not used)
21 Jack Brown
Also in 21-man squad
19 Danny Richardson
23 Lee Kershaw
24 Eribe Doro
Tries: Lewis (10), Davies (38), Gildart (49, 52)
Goals: Lewis 2/4
SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-4, 6-4, 6-10; 6-14, 6-20, 10-20
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Saints: Jack Welsby; Hull KR: Joe Burgess
Penalty count: 4-4
Half-time: 6-10
Referee: Jack Smith
Attendance: 11,438