Super League: Wakefield Trinity 54-18 Hull KR

Tom Johnstone completed his hat-trick of tries for Wakefield late in the second half

Tom Johnstone scored a hat-trick as Wakefield Trinity ended a two-game winless run by demolishing Hull KR.

The game were fairly equal at halfway, with Wakefield regaining the advantage when Tyler Randell went in after Rovers wiped out an earlier 12-0 lead.

However Trinity cut loose after the break, scoring five tries to one with Scott Grix crossing twice.

Wakefield stay seventh while Rovers remain joint-bottom with just six points from 13 games.

After a bright start Wakefield's season looked to be going off the boil with one win in eight games, but the nature of this success gives hope to their top-four ambitions.

The returning David Fifita had an inspired game in leading from the front while Johnstone - who scored a hat-trick in the return game as well - was grateful to the ingenuity of Jacob Miller for his scores.

Rovers showed character to come back from 12-0 down in the first period thanks to scores from Chris Clarkson and the lively Adam Quinlan.

But despite arguably being the better side in the opening period, they were overpowered after the break and Kieran Moss' score was the only positive on his recall from York.

Wakefield head coach Chris Chester:

"It's going to be very, very difficult for us to get into that top four.

"The top six is probably realistic where we are at the minute. We'll just keep working hard and hopefully now we can put some wins together.

"In terms of confidence that result will do us the world of good. That's the best 40 minutes we've played this season, but I don't think the scoreline reflected how tough the game was and the effort from Hull KR."

Hull KR head coach Tim Sheens:

"In the first half we were in battle with them and in fact had a try taken off us that was a try in my opinion.

"It would have been 18-16, if not 18-18, and that makes a difference. You look back and say that didn't make a difference but those things do."

Wakefield: Grix; Jones-Bishop, Lyne, Tupou, Johnstone; Miller, Finn; England, Randell, Hirst, Pauli, Ashurst, Arona.

Replacements: Wood, Batchelor, Fifita, Huby.

Hull KR: Quinlan; Shaw, Blair, Vaivai, Salter; McGuire, Lee; Mulhern, Atkin, Masoe, Clarkson, Tickle, Kavanagh.

Replacements: Smith, Greenwood, Walne, Moss.

Referee: James Child