Wakefield shock Hull KR to delay Shield lift

Wakefield Trinity's Mason Lino dashes over the line to score a try against Hull Kingston Rovers

Betfred Super League

Wakefield (26) 28

Tries: Trueman, Lino, Jowitt, Scott Goals: Jowitt (6)

Hull KR (0) 12

Tries: Mourgue, Gildart Goals: Mourgue (2)

Hull KR's bid to lift the League Leaders' Shield must go to the final round of the regular season after play-off chasing Wakefield Trinity stunned the Super League table-toppers at the DIY Kitchens Stadium.

The Robins needed a win to confirm top spot but found themselves 26-0 down at half-time as Trinity, who needed to win their two remaining games to claim the sixth and final play-off spot, produced a brilliant display.

They scored four unanswered tries through Jake Trueman, Mason Lino, Max Jowitt and Cameron Scott, with Lino converting all four and adding a penalty, to take charge of the game.

Arthur Mourgue and Oliver Gildart struck back with tries in the second half but the expected Robins backlash did not really materialise.

They must now beat Warrington, or at least avoid a heavy defeat, on Thursday to clinch the trophy ahead of Wigan, who are two points behind with an inferior points difference of 41.

Trinity, meanwhile, can clinch sixth spot by beating bottom club Salford Red Devils next Friday, or if Catalans Dragons win at Hull FC the night before.

Around 2,000 Robins fans had travelled down the M62 hoping to see their team add the Shield to the Challenge Cup they won earlier in the season, and they were big favourites against a Trinity side which flopped badly last week in defeat at Castleford Tigers.

Coach Daryl Powell had demanded improvement from his side after that defeat left the door open for Hull FC to pip them for sixth, and he got it in spectacular style with a devastating first-half performance.

The Robins had won the past five meetings between the two sides but they were swept aside by a masterclass from scrum-half Lino, who out-shone his opposite number Mikey Lewis.

Lino's high kick caused confusion in the Robins defence and Trueman grabbed the loose ball to score. Then, after Jowitt added a penalty, Lino feinted and shot through a gap to add a try of his own.

Lewis then fumbled the ball as he tried to intercept a Trueman pass and Jowitt picked it up to race over the line. Jowitt then made a break to send Scott over for another to leave the visitors reeling.

The half-time talk was of Rovers striking back and that looked likely as Mourgue benefited from a sharp Sam Luckley offload and James Batchelor break to score and convert.

Trinity kept their nerve, however, and with Jowitt adding another penalty to his flawless six conversions, they saw the game over the line, despite Gildart scoring his first try since Easter after coming back from injury.

'Massive win' - reaction

Wakefield coach Daryl Powell told BBC Radio Leeds:

"It's a massive win for us. After last week you would have probably thought we couldn't do that - we lack a little bit of consistency but we have performances like that in us. The first half was probably as well as we've played all year.

"The second half ended up being a war of attrition for us. We were under the pump and got a couple of calls that were questionable, but held ourselves really well.

"Tonight was right where we needed to be, so if we can replicate that kind of effort we'll be a challenge. We need to get next week right and then we'll see what happens.

"Play-off games are one-off opportunities and if we play like that we're capable of taking them. I wouldn't want to play us if we're bang at it."

Hull KR coach Willie Peters told BBC Radio Humberside:

"I don't want to take anything away from Wakefield because I thought they were outstanding, but what we dished up in that first half was poor.

"I knew exactly what Wakefield team would turn up, their shapes and how they would play, knew they would ask a lot of questions and be physical, but they pretty much beat us in every area.

"I was happy with some parts in the second half - we didn't let any tries in, so that was an improvement. The first 40 minutes was our worst performance [of the season] for sure.

"We need to be better in five days' time against Warrington."

Wakefield: Jowitt; Myers, Scott, Pratt, Johnstone; Trueman, Lino; McMeeken, Hood, Faatili, Nikotemo, Storton, Pitts.

Interchanges: Rodwell, Griffin, Atoni, Smith.

Hull KR: Mourgue; Davies, Hiku, Gildart, Broadbent; Lewis, May; Whitbread, Litten, Waerea-Hargreaves, Hadley, Batchelor, Minchella.

Interchanges: Luckley, Brown, Doro, Leyland.

Referee: Chris Kendall.