Hull KR wear down St Helens to go six points clear
Joe Burgess went over for Hull KR's match-winning try
- Published
Betfred Super League
Hull KR (2) 12
Tries: Burgess Goals: Martin 4
St Helens (2) 8
Tries: Cross Goals: Percival 2
Hull KR moved six points clear at the top of Super League with a hard-fought 12-8 win over in-form St Helens at Craven Park.
Both defences were on top in a fiercely fought first half littered with injury stoppages but only four points as Mark Percival's penalty levelled the score after Rhyse Martin had booted the hosts ahead.
Three further Martin penalties took Rovers six clear heading into the final quarter as Saints finally began to wilt.
Mikey Lewis' brilliant flat pass sent Joe Burgess in at the left corner to make it 12-2 which proved enough despite a late Deon Cross try for Saints.
Rovers bounced back from their heaviest defeat of the season at Leeds Rhinos last weekend with the victory, and inflicted just a second defeat in 11 matches for fourth-placed Saints.
Reigning Man of Steel Mikey Lewis again proved a matchwinner for Hull KR
The visitors suffered a huge blow after just eight minutes when loose forward Morgan Knowles was forced off with a head injury after a high shot which earned Martin 10 minutes in the sin-bin.
The home fans breathed a sigh of relief moments later when half-back Lewis returned to the field after limping off, and George Delaney, on for Knowles, could have seen worse than a yellow card after putting his shoulder into Eribe Doro's head.
Martin was stopped inches short and James Batchelor knocked on close to the line as Rovers looked to exploit their man advantage, but fine scramble defence denied them in a breathless and scoreless opening half-hour.
Martin nudged the hosts ahead after Joe Batchelor was punished for an off-the-ball hit on Jez Litten, yet Saints, under the cosh for long periods, went in level through Percival when Litten was pinged for ruck interference.
Joe Batchelor's shoulder put the visitors behind for a second time soon after the restart when he illegally blocked Lewis from following up his chip and chase and Martin kicked a simple penalty.
Tom Davies was denied the opening try after Peta Hiku stuck a foot in touch, but Rovers ground their way to a six-point lead with two quick penalties, the second conceded by Delaney, who was forced to hold on after Lewis cut loose.
Showing signs of wear and tear, the visitors finally buckled, with Lewis unsurprisingly the man to unpick the lock in the 67th minute, setting up field position with a brilliant 40-20 kick before supplying the try assist.
Saints set up a nervy finale with a try out of nowhere when Cross chased down Jack Welsby's kick ahead, but the hosts held on for a fifth successive win over the Saints and a third of the season.
Hull KR head coach Willie Peters told BBC Radio Humberside:
"I thought we got beaten in every area last week [against Leeds]. This week we played and responded in the best way possible.
"We've got the result, but in terms of performance, I'm really, really happy with it, because it was a gritty, tough Hull KR performance.
"When you're coming up against one of the best defensive teams in the competition, they're hard to break down, so that's why we end up taking penalty kicks because you want to take the points.
"So defensively, that's what we wanted to be great at, and I thought for large periods of that game we were."
St Helens head coach Paul Wellens told BBC Radio Merseyside:
"I thought it was a really high quality game in terms of all the effort and the intensity. It had a play-off feel.
"I'm really proud of the players, the way they kept going at the game. There were periods in the game when we were under immense pressure.
"10 or 11 weeks ago when we came here we wilted under that pressure, but we certainly didn't do that tonight, so I think we've come a long way as a team.
"We're disappointed not to get the result. There's a lot to like about what we're doing, but if we are going to be successful there are a few areas we're going to have to clean up."
Hull KR: Mourgue; Davies, Hiku, Broadbent, Burgess; Lewis, May; Hadley, Litten, Whitbread, Batchelor, Martin, Minchella.
Interchanges: Luckley, Tanginoa, Doro, Leyland.
St Helens: Welsby; Sailor, Robertson, Percival, Cross; Lomax, Mbye; Walmsley, Clark, Lees, Sironen, Whitley, Knowles.
Interchanges: Batchelor, Paasi, Delaney, Burns.
Referee: Chris Kendall.