Super League: Wigan Warriors 44-6 Hull KR

Liam Marshall has scored nine Super League tries this season

Liam Marshall scored four tries as Wigan Warriors thrashed lowly Super League side Hull KR at the DW Stadium.

Sam Tomkins grabbed the first of Wigan's five first-half tries in the 24th minute, with Liam Farrell's double coming either side of four-pointers from George Williams and Marshall.

Chris Atkin hit back after the break before Marshall went over again.

With Rovers' Joshua Johnson in the sin-bin, Marshall added a further two tries to complete the victory.

Wigan's big win keeps them in touch with Super League pacesetters St Helens, who inflicted a Good Friday derby defeat on the Warriors just three days earlier.

While second-from-bottom Rovers resisted the hosts for almost a quarter of an hour, their hopes of avoiding a third straight defeat unravelled quickly after Tomkins crashed over from dummy half.

Sandwiched in between Farrell's double, Marshall sent Williams over for Warriors' third and the winger added the first of his own, showing deft footwork from a kick and chase to score.

Atkins carved out Rovers' response with a fine bit of skill in rain-soaked conditions with a chip and chase, but it proved a rare highlight for the visitors.

Marshall restored the hosts' 26-point lead, meeting a neat kick from Tomkins, and then crossed twice more with Hull KR a man down following Johnson's yellow card.

Wigan head coach Shaun Wane:

"I thought we looked composed with our attack. We looked like we knew what we were doing, we knew how we wanted to make our sets up.

"We dropped off a bit in the second half, but overall I am very happy. Our defence is what really impressed me.

"They had six plays on our line and normally you would have around 25 plays. It shows how good our D really was."

Hull KR head coach Tim Sheens:

"A 6-1 penalty count in the first half, followed by 18-9 overall and a sin-bin off it as well didn't help us.

"Then with what ball we were getting, not finding touch and losing it on first and second tackles and not playing the ball square. They are the things you can't do when you do get an opportunity.

"From the outside looking in, it may look like our discipline is really bad. But when I phone the league, they'll say that shouldn't have been a penalty and that shouldn't, maybe there will be some of those today."

Wigan Warriors: S Tomkins, Davies, Sarginson, Gildart, Marshall, Williams, Woods, Navarrete, Leuluai, Flower, Isa, Farrell, Bateman.

Replacements: J Tomkins, Sutton, Ganson, Hamlin.

Hull KR: Quinlan; Shaw, Minns, Salter, Carney; Atkin, Marsh; Jewitt, Lee, Masoe, Blair, Greenwood, Clarkson.

Replacements: Scruton, Donaldson, Johnson, Dagger.

Referee: Ben Thaler.