Jake Webster’s 76th minute try
ensured that Hull Kingston Rovers continue to hold the Indian sign over
their rivals Hull FC after they ran out 22-17 winners in the fifth game
of the Millennium Magic event in Cardiff.
The New Zealand centre was on hand to cross for an eighth try of the
season after taking in Ben Galea’s pass and put his team back in front
after Adam Dykes’s 74th minute drop goal appeared to have sealed the
win for Peter Sharp’s Hull side.
It was little more than Justin Morgan’s men deserved after a second
half that saw them dominate the possession, albeit without ever really
troubling their opponents.
Nonetheless, Rovers have now won the last three meetings between the
two and four of the last six, moving them firmly back into the play-off
picture.
Hull welcomed back long-term absentees Matt Sing and Richard Whiting
for the 204th meeting between the two, whilst Rovers were able to name
Chris Chester on the bench for the first time in 10 games.
The last time the two sides met, Hull KR ran out on top when a
last-gasp James Webster drop goal handed them an 11-10 Good Friday win,
but Hull began in stunning fashion here in a bid to redress the balance.
They opened the scoring after just 47 seconds with Gareth Raynor’s
fifth try of the season and closed the first-half with his 100th for
the club, but Rovers managed two tries of their own in between times to
leave nothing separating the sides at the half-way point.
Raynor - scoring in a third successive Cardiff appearance - got the
game off to a flying start when he finished off Craig Hall’s break,
whilst he and Hall came close to adding follow-up scores as they
narrowly failed to chase down kicks from Danny Washbrook and Dykes.
Danny Tickle then missed an easy penalty attempt and that served to
hand Rovers a foothold into the game as they hit back with two quick
tries.
The first came when Hall rashly attempted to intercept a long pass
from Paul Cooke, allowing Chev Walker to send Peter Fox in at the
corner, before Daniel Fitzhenry notched his 10th of the season on the
opposite side of the field after a pass from Stanley Gene.
Cooke - quietly effective is his fourth derby appearance for Hull KR
- added one of the goals, only for Raynor to take advantage of Fox
failing to clear Whiting’s kick and touch down two minutes before the
break.
Tickle found his range from the touchline to send the sides in level.
The see-saw nature of the scoring continued into the second-half as
Danny Washbrook put Hull back ahead with a second try in as many games
as he crashed onto some good work from Shaun Berrigan, before Walker -
back from a three-game lay-off - took in Cooke’s pass to bring his side
level again.
Ben Fisher then came agonisingly close with a scoot from dummy-half
as Rovers upped the ante but Hull’s defence stood firm and they emerged
with their line intact after having just one of seven sets in
possession.
For all their defensive effort though, they remained static in
attack as Hall, again showing a hint of naivety, laid a pass up to
Raynor that flew into touch.
Had the 20-year-old found his winger, then Raynor could have raced
clear for a hat-trick. As it was, Hull were lucky to see Cooke’s
attempted drop goal sail wide.
Dykes then looked set to make them pay when his drop-goal floated over, only for Webster to win it at the other end.
