HULL KR stunned Wigan Warriors in a fast and frenetic encounter at Craven Park this afternoon to run out 27-18 winners.
The Robins began the brighter of the two sides, Ryan Hall finishing in the corner off a great Jordan Abdull kick. Lachlan Coote converted from the touchline to make it 6-0 after five minutes.
Wigan hit back from a piece of Harry Smith magic, with the halfback chipping over the top for a gleeful Liam Marshall to dot down. Smith, however, couldn’t convert as Rovers led 6-4.
And the Warriors took the lead shortly after, Jai Field finishing well after KR dropped a high bomb. Smith, however, was off target with the conversion.
It was three tries without reply for Wigan as Kai Pearce-Paul latched onto a Cade Cust grubber, but Smith was off target once more with the boot as the Warriors held a 12-6 lead.
Back came Rovers, though, and on the back of three six again calls, Shaun Kenny-Dowall managed to stride out beyond Toby King to cross on the half-hour mark. Coote converted to level proceedings at 12 apiece.
Things threatened to boil over with Mikey Lewis in the thick of the action, but the hosts thought they had scored three minutes before half-time after Matt Parcell dotted down an Abdull kick. However, Kane Linnett was adjudged to have knocked on in the air.
Abdull slotted over a one-pointer as the hooter sounded with the hosts leading 13-12 at the break.
Willie Peters’ side came out firing in the second-half and Linnett barged over to extend the hosts’ lead to 17-12, though Coote missed the conversion.
That being said, when Wigan were found offside, Coote slotted over two points to make it 19-12.
Things got even worse for the Warriors moments later as Morgan Smithies was sent to the sinbin for a late hit on Lewis.
And KR duly took advantage of the extra man, Kenny-Dowall stretching out to get his second just after the hour. Lewis took over the kicking duties but his conversion hit the crossbar with the hosts 23-12 up.
But, after looking dead and buried, back came the Warriors with 11 minutes to go, Marshall sprinting down the touchline before drawing the defence to offload inside to Jake Wardle on his debut. Smith this time was on target as Wigan were back to 23-18.
The Warriors threatened to launch a comeback, but Kenny-Dowall and Rovers had other ideas with the veteran Australian centre crossing for his hat-trick in the corner. Lewis missed the conversion, but the Robins ran out 27-18 winners.
Hull KR
1 Lachlan Coote
2 Ethan Ryan
3 Tom Opacic
4 Shaun Kenny-Dowall
5 Ryan Hall
20 Mikey Lewis
7 Jordan Abdull
8 Sauaso Sue
9 Matt Parcell
15 Rhys Kennedy
16 James Batchelor
12 Kane Linnett
13 Elliot Minchella
Substitutes
10 George King
14 Jez Litten
17 Matty Storton
22 Dean Hadley
Tries: Hall, Kenny-Dowall 3, Linnett
Goals: Coote 3/4, Lewis 0/2
Field goal: Abdull (40)
Wigan Warriors
1 Jai Field
2 Bevan French
3 Toby King
4 Jake Wardle
5 Liam Marshall
6 Cade Cust
7 Harry Smith
16 Ethan Havard
9 Sam Powell
14 Mike Cooper
17 Kai Pearce-Paul
12 Liam Farrell
13 Morgan Smithies
Substitutes
8 Brad Singleton
10 Liam Byrne
15 Kaide Ellis
22 Brad O’Neill
Tries: Marshall, Field, Pearce-Paul, Wardle
Goals: Smith 1/4
Sinbin: Smithies (57) – shoulder charge