Super League: St Helens 38-12 Hull KR - Saints win to maintain home record

St Helens points machine Tommy Makinson scored two tries, kicked five conversions and two penalties

Tommy Makinson claimed a 22-point haul as Super League leaders St Helens maintained this season's 100% home record by seeing off Hull KR.

Makinson got the scoreboard ticking with the first two tries, before Jack Welsby crossed to leave KR 20-0 down at the break and all but out of it.

But Danny McGuire's men did rally well with three second-half tries.

Kane Linnett, Will Tate and debutant Connor Barley matched scores from Joey Lussick, Jon Bennison and Ben Davies.

Saints were without the injured Sione Mata'utia, while Morgan Knowles and Curtis Sironen were missing through suspension, but they had Welsby back as they moved a step closer to lifting another League Leaders' Shield.

They got off the mark in the second minute when Makinson kicked a routine penalty before diving over for the first try of the night, after Jonny Lomax and Welsby had combined, then kicking his own conversion from the touchline to make it 8-0 to the home side.

Will Hopoate and Konrad Hurrell then combined for Makinson's unconverted second try on 22 minutes before Welsby threw a huge pass to the left for winger Bennison, who passed the ball back inside for Welsby to race under the posts.

Makinson converted that one, then added a penalty after Hull KR sent a goal-line drop-out over the touchline on the full.

Hooker Lussick got the first converted try of the second half with a close-range dart from dummy half before Rovers got off the mark on 56 minutes when Lachlan Coote sent Vete through a gap and he found Linnett in support to score.

Saints winger Bennison went in at the corner, Makinson again converting from the touchline before Rovers' second try from Tate before teenager Barley capped a debut to remember with a try 12 minutes from time after a crossfield kick by Jez Litten was helped on by Jimmy Keinhorst.

But Coote failed with all three conversion attempts and Saints wrapped up the night - and their 13th straight victory over Rovers - when Makinson again improved the game's final try for fellow winger Davies.

St Helens coach Kristian Woolf:

"We did some really good things. We played with a really good intensity for that first 40 minutes and for long periods in the second half. We played some great footy.

"But there were some miracle plays from Hull KR in the second half and we had to work hard for all our points.

"We had to play with patience and discipline. That was great. We need to have a mindset where we can attack with the play-offs coming".

Hull KR interim coach Danny McGuire:

"We are disappointed to lose. We're all down in the changing room. We had a real dig in the second half. We went toe-to-toe with the best team in the competition.

"I have seen some teams roll over and have 50 or 60 points put on them in situations like that. People might say Saints took their foot off the gas, but we started to challenge them a bit.

"If we had kicked the goals the scoreline looks healthier. Saints are a ruthless team that keep going. But we threw some shots back. They will know they've been in a tussle."

St Helens: Hopoate; Makinson, Hurrell, Davies, Bennison; Welsby, Lomax; Walmsley, Roby, Lees, Bell, Batchelor, Wingfield.

Interchanges: Lussick, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Paasi, Royle.

Hull KR: Coote; Barley, Keinhorst, Tate, Hall; Lewis, Milnes; Storton, Litten, King, Halton, Linnett, Minchella.

Interchanges: Vete, Maher, Laulu-Togagae, Fishwick.

Referee: Chris Kendall (RFL)

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