Hull KR hammer Salford to extend lead at top

Betfred Super League

Hull KR (24) 54

Tries: Hadley, Luckley, Hiku, Litten 2, Batchelor, Booth, Mourgue 2 Goals: Mourgue 9

Salford (0) 0

Super League leaders Hull KR coasted to a Magic Weekend victory over beleaguered Salford Red Devils to extend their cushion at the top of the table.

Dean Hadley twisted over for Hull KR's first try while Newcastle-born Sam Luckley scored in front of his hometown crowd at St James' Park to put them further ahead.

Peta Hiku went in to extend the Robins' lead soon after while Jez Litten ran in from distance to send them out of sight before the break.

James Batchelor went in for KR's fifth try while Noah Booth scored on his debut before Litten's second and Arthur Mourgue's late double sealed the win in style.

Victory for Willie Peters' side means they extend their lead at the summit back to three points over second-placed Leigh, who beat Catalans in the first fixture of Magic Weekend earlier on Saturday.

Salford slip to a ninth Super League defeat from 10 matches this term and, after February's 42-0 drubbing at Craven Park, the Robins have now scored a whopping 96 unanswered points against them in just two games in 2025.

Peta Hiku (left) is now two tries away from scoring 100 during his career

Hull KR thought they had taken an early lead through Batchelor but Salford successfully issued a captain's challenge having spotted that he knocked on in the process of being tackled shortly before he crossed the line.

The Robins lost centre Oliver Gildart to a knee injury moments later but despite his absence, they kept up the pressure and eventually edged ahead courtesy of Hadley's score after eight minutes.

Luckley's score came as he crashed through Joe Shorrocks to batter his way to the whitewash and Hiku showed great strength to go in for his 98th career try soon after.

The best was still to come for Hull KR, however, as Mikey Lewis sent Hiku through to race in from 40 metres.

In response, Nathan Connell almost touched down for Salford's first try after the break but spilled the ball in the process of going over.

Just moments later, Hull KR rubbed salt into the wounds as a slick set of passes sent Lewis through and just as he was being tackled close to the line, he sent a deflected offload into the path of Batchelor who ran in with ease.

Booth's try, which came via a fantastic no-look pass from Hiku, was followed by Bill Leyland's sensational offload to send Litten through for his brace.

Mourgue, who was fantastic with the boot all evening, added two tries to his tally.

His first came in the aftermath of Tyrone May carving a hole in a Salford defence which looked hugely deflated as time ticked down towards the hooter, and his second came in similar fashion as he weaved through a hapless Red Devils line to register a personal 26-point haul.

Hull KR: Mourgue; Booth, Hiku, Gildart, Broadbent; Lewis, May; Sue, Litten, Whitbread, Hadley, Batchelor, Minchella.

Interchanges: Luckley, Brown, Doro, Leyland.

Salford: Nikorima; Ryan, Marsters, Vaughan, Connell; Shorrocks, Morgan; Ormondroyd, Davis, Chan, Hellewell, Foster, Makin.

Interchanges: Warren, Sangare, Wilson, Hill.

Referee: Liam Rush.