Super League: Huddersfield Giants 18-26 Hull KR - Robins keep up play-off push with victory
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Hull KR moved four points clear of seventh place and up to fifth in Super League courtesy of their win over Huddersfield Giants
Betfred Super League |
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Huddersfield (6) 18 |
Tries: Pryce, McGillvary, Halsall Goals: Connor 3 |
Hull KR (14) 26 |
Tries: Kenny-Dowall, Abdull, Linnett, Senior Goals: Schneider 5 |
Hull KR maintained their pursuit of a Super League play-off place as they beat Huddersfield Giants to end their own hopes of a top-six spot.
Will Pryce put Giants in front from distance but Shaun Kenny-Dowall and Brad Schneider's kicking sent KR ahead.
Jordan Abdull continued the Robins' turnaround with Kane Linnett adding to Hull KR's tally after the break.
Jermaine McGillvary and Sam Halsall hit back for the Giants either side of Louis Senior's score but KR held out.
Victory for Hull KR moves them up to fifth in Super League and four points clear of seventh place to bolster their play-off hopes.
Huddersfield's already slim hopes of a play-off spot were extinguished following the defeat, which left them six points off the top six with two regular-season games remaining.
Pryce's opening score came after he spotted a gap in the KR defence and dummied his way into a long-range drive from 40 yards out to cross over at the corner.
The visitors soon atoned for Pryce's moment of brilliance, however, with Kenny-Dowall touching down soon after while Abdull dummied to finish and extend their lead just moments after he arrived on to the field.
Shortly after Linnett's score, McGillvary worked on to Pryce's delivery to touch down in the corner to register his 250th career try.
Senior dummied his way over to send KR into a commanding 12-point lead as time ticked down, but the Giants wasted no time in cutting their advantage as Halsall worked on to Tui Lolohea's kick to set up a tense finale - but it was not to be for the hosts.
Huddersfield Giants head coach Ian Watson told BBC Radio Leeds:
"They're the kind of games you have with KR. They're very good at that arm-wrestle mentality and we expected that, to be fair.
"It wasn't a game we didn't expect. We got exactly what we thought we'd get. Some of the discipline with and without the ball cost us.
"Overall, I thought it was a good game but there were certain things which didn't go our way."
[On missing out on the play-offs] "It's really interesting because you learn a lot in situations like this. I know it won't be happening again and I know we'll be better as a group as well.
"There's a lot of things we can look at or make excuses for but I want us to come back better and I know we will. At least we have that level of desire to compete and play for each other."
Hull KR boss Willie Peters told BBC Radio Humberside:
"It was a tough win. Huddersfield came at us at the start. It took us a while to get going but I think that was because of the way they came at us.
"We found a different way to win and I'll take a gritty win any day of the week.
"We're not going to get carried away. There's still two games to go. We're in a stronger position now to get a play-off place. I thought the players showed tonight what they're about."
Huddersfield: Pryce; Halsall, Marsters, Naiqama, McGillvary; Connor, Lolohea; Ikahihifo, Peats, Ashworth, Hewitt, Livett, Yates.
Interchanges: O'Brien, Wilson, McQueen, Greenwood.
Sin-bin: Connor (40), Ashworth (60).
Hull KR: Walker; Senior, Opacic, Kenny-Dowall, Hall; Lewis, Schneider; Kennedy, Parcell, King, Keinhorst, Linnett, Hadley.
Interchanges: Abdull, Litten, Storton, Luckley.
Referee: Tom Grant.