Player ratings as Hull KR scramble home against Castleford Tigers

HULL KR ran out 13-12 winners in dramatic circumstances at The Jungle on Thursday night.

Despite being penalised twice for laying on, the Tigers held firm in the opening few sets before registering the opening try of the game after 13 minutes as Sam Wood rose highest to claim a Rowan Milnes kick. Milnes converted to make it 6-0.

But Rovers hit back almost instantly when Mikey Lewis broke through before offloading inside to the supporting Tom Opacic. Lewis levelled proceedings from in front to make it 6-6.

It was two tries in two minutes for the visitors when Jez Litten pierced his way through some soft defence. Elliot Minchella was on hand to take Litten’s pass and go over under the posts. Lewis converted for a 12-6 lead.

It was a game of tit-for-tat for the rest of the first-half as both sides kept making errors and conceding penalties. As it was, the visitors still led 12-6 at the break.

HALF-TIME: CASTLEFORD TIGERS 6-12 HULL KR

Castleford thought they had hit back straightaway at the start of the second-half when Sylvester Namo went close, but a desperate Litten tackle kept the Tigers forward out.

Lewis missed the opportunity to extend Rovers’ lead by two moments later when Litten was surprisingly adjudged to have been taken high.

The Tigers looked a different side to the one that had been convincingly beaten by Leeds Rhinos three weeks ago and Milnes levelled the scores once more, scything through the KR defence like knife through butter. The halfback converted to make it 12-12 on the hour.

It was getting feisty as time wound down as Litten slotted over a drop goal with five minutes to go. And, try as they might, Castleford just couldn’t claw back the one-point deficit.

Castleford Tigers

34 Tex Hoy – 8
23 Jason Qareqare – 7
35 Corey Hall – 7
4 Sam Wood – 8
5 Innes Senior – 6
16 Rowan Milnes – 8
7 Jacob Miller – 6
15 George Griffin – 6
14 Liam Horne – 8
13 Joe Westerman – 6
12 Alex Mellor – 7
11 Elie El-Zakhem – 6
29 George Hill – 5
Substitutes
19 Sam Hall – 6
21 Sylvester Namo – 6
24 Cain Robb – 9
37 Matty English – 7

Tries: Wood (13), Milnes (59)
Goals: Milnes 2/2

Hull KR

2 Niall Evalds – 6
36 Jack Broadbent – 8
1 Peta Hiku – 6
3 Tom Opacic – 5
5 Ryan Hall – 7
27 Tyrone May – 6
7 Mikey Lewis – 6
8 Sauaso Sue – 5
9 Jez Litten – 9
37 Jack Brown – 6
11 Dean Hadley – 6
20 Kelepi Tanginoa – 8
13 Elliot Minchella – 8
Substitutes
10 George King – 7
15 Sam Luckley – 7
17 Matty Storton – 7
38 Danny Richardson – N/A