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Battling Saints Edged Out At Hull KR

7th Mar 2010, 9:00pm

SAINTS lost their unbeaten run in a hard fought 28-24 loss at Hull KR.

 

They led 24-22 up until the last five minutes, but just couldn’t hold on as their opponents gained six repeat sets on their line.

 

Some of that was down to the Robins forcing two drop outs as they turned up the heat.

 

But Saints will be disappointed they were penalised three times in those dying stages – and two of those were very harsh indeed.

 

Take nothing away from Hull KR though, they battled and fought to put the pressure on Saints, then produced the killer move to send Ben Fisher over.

 

Saints led 20-16 at half time after producing a stirring comeback from 16-4 down.

 

Tries from Ben Galea and two from Liam Colbon gave the Robins a deserved lead before Kyle Eastmond intercepted from 60 yards out to bring Saints right back into it.

 

From there, Scott Moore and Francis Meli swung the match on its head with two superbly taken scores.

 

Colbon notched his hat-trick early in the second half – but Chris Dean put Saints back ahead when he finished off a fine move.

 

The game was nip and tuck all the way until Fisher’s late intervention.

 

Mick Potter opted to keep Keiron Cunningham on the bench and rotate him with Scott Moore, whilst James Roby continued his successful stint at loose forward. Chris Dean replaced the injured Matt Gidley in the centres.

 

Justin Morgan gave a debut at prop for new signing Joel Clinton.

 

After a tense couple of sets, Kyle Eastmond was the first to test the KR line, with a high ball that Peter Fox took just ahead of Francis Meli.

 

Meli was then unlucky not to take a lofted ball on the last tackle.

 

But Saints did make their early pressure count when Pryce’s bouncing chip through was inches away from Meli’s fingertips and was mopped up by Gary Wheeler. The position for Pryce’s pinpoint kick came after a superb 40 metre ‘clear your lines’ run from Paul Wellens.

 

On 14 minutes great build up from the Rovers saw Shaun Briscoe go over the line. Saints managed to hold him up but from the tackle, the ball was chipped through and Ban Galea put it down as the kick caused panic in the defence.

 

Dobson converted to give his side the lead after 15 minutes and from the restart he fired a sublime 40:20 to heap more pressure on Saints’ line.

 

And Hull were almost in again; Kyle Eastmond managing to put Kris Welham lateral and horizontal to the try line to deny a certain score.

 

Paul Wellens went off with a leg injury causing some on field changes and as Saints re-organised, Hull KR stretched their lead when Liam Colbon took a nice pass to score in the corner. Dobson hitting the post with the conversion.

 

He then took another pass seconds later to notch his second of the game. Dobson adding the extras.

 

But Saints hit back when a speculative pass was collected by Eastmond who went fully 60 yards to bring his side right back into it.

 

With five to go, after Eastmond was obstructed following a chip over, the ball went left and some excellent backing up saw Scott Moore pull Saints within four. Eastmond converting.

 

And on Saints next set a deft kick from Pryce saw Meli taking the ball out of the air and going under the posts.

 

Half Time: Hull KR 16 Saints 20

 

Gary Wheeler took a nice high ball to quell the Robins’ attack early doors.

 

But on Hull KR’s next play, Webster saw a gap and went 60 yards to set up the position for Colbon to grab his third. Dobson converting from the touchline to swing the lead back towards the home side.

 

On 55 minutes, Eastmond scampered from within his own half, with Scott Moore backing up. The ball then went left, to Meli who flipped it inside to Andy Dixon who just couldn’t find the return pass to the big Kiwi.

 

Two minutes later Pryce was adjudged to have been held up over the line – when he clearly put the ball down – as was Puletua on the next drive. But Saints... and the referee... made no mistake from the restart when Chris Dean finished off a nice move in the far side corner. Eastmond just short with the extras.

 

With Saints just two points up both sides knew the next score would possibly seal the win. Eastmond and Dobson probed and pressed their teams to find gaps but defences were on top in a tight match.

 

Paul Clough found himself in acres of space with around 15 left in the game but was hauled down inches from the line.

 

And eight minutes later Hull KR had six tackles right on Saints’ line following a penalty for holding down.

 

On the last they chipped through again and then won another set through a penalty – and then another set through a drop out.

 

Following a further drop out and a very harsh penalty though, Ben Fisher burrowed over to win the game for Hull.

 

Mick Potter said: "They had 40-odd tackles on our line. That may be something to do with how well KR played, but at the end of the day the responsibility comes back on us.

 

"We needed to get them off our line for 40-odd plays. I don't think many teams can hold out for that length of time."

 

Paul Wellens left the field with a dead leg and will be assessed on Monday. Jonny Lomax received a cut and what looks like a broken nose in a challenge with Jake Webster.

 

Match Summary:

 

Hull KR:

Tries: Galea, Colbon (3), Fisher

Goals: Dobson (4 from 5)

 

Saints:

Tries: Wheeler, Eastmond, Moore, Meli, Dean

Goals: Eastmond (2 from 5)

 

Penalties:

Hull KR: 8

Saints: 4

 

HT (Sts First): 20-16

 

FT (Sts First): 24-28

 

REF: Ian Smith

 

ATT: 8202

 

Teams:

 

Hull KR:

 

1. Shaun Briscoe; 2. Peter Fox, 3. Kris Welham, 4. Jake Webster, 5. Liam Colbon; 19. Chaz I’anson, 7. Michael Dobson; 20. Mick Vella, 9. Scott Murrell, 30. Joel Clinton. 11. Clint Newton, 8. Rhys Lovegrove, 13. Ben Galea.

Subs: 16. Jason Netherton, 17. Ben Fisher, 22. Liam Watts, 28. Ben Cockayne.

 

Saints:

 

1. Paul Wellens; 24. Jonny Lomax, 19. Chris Dean, 21. Gary Wheeler, 5. Francis Meli; 6. Leon Pryce, 7. Kyle Eastmond; 10. James Graham, 16. Scott Moore, 8. Nick Fozzard, 11. Tony Puletua, 17. Paul Clough, 14. James Roby.

Subs: 9. Keiron Cunningham 15. Bryn Hargreaves, 22. Andrew Dixon, 23. Maurie Fa’asavalu.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Comments

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• Ian Smith says:
  Unlucky Saints, you didn't get the big decisions today
• Paul says:
  massive effort lads, well done to all. Proud of the every man jack of you.
• Chris says:
  The ref was awful, very unlucky Saints. Maurie played amazing as well. Let's get a big score against the Crusaders next week. Come on you Saints!
• jez . dolan says:
  cheated by a try with 2 forward passes when are we going to catch the forward passes by all the teams its dreadfull were losing games thorugh bad refereeing and bad touch judging come on RFL
• ryan says:
  we need to play for 80 mins not 70.. we deserved to win but killed our self at the end handin penalties to hull...now we should concentrate on getting our players fit and back...oh an jammer played the full 80 today, he is the best player we have..well done jammer!!!
• tony b cumbria says:
  you cant expect to win games with experienced players like kc on bench when you have so much experience missing through injured players
• Anon says:
  To defend 5 sets in the last 7 minutes and be so close to winning was a massive effort! Especially with only 2 fit players on interchange! Should have killed the game off with 10 minutes to go tho...well played!!!
• Ade Cunliffe says:
  6 men out, 2 men lost during the game, a great team effort indeed. Ian Smith once more proves his LOVE for the redvee men....
• Dazzler says:
  Excellent performance today lads. Great team spirit on display. Some really poor decisions from the ref cost us the game but you guys are playing with so much heart it makes me proud to be a Saints win or lose. Great display keep it up.
• Benidorm John says:
  Unlucky Boys, great effort from you all, sometimes you get the call and the bounce, other days you don't, it happens to all the great teams, rub yourself down and move on, hopefully the walking wounded may be able to return, if not I'm sure the replacements will do their utmost to secure the 2 points, great effort well done the Saints.
• Noel says:
  I really felt for the boys yesterday they deserved the win for a massive effort. The main reason they didn't get it was the poor standard of the referee. Great spirit in the team and if we keep going like this we'll do very well this season. Hope some how my message gets through to the team. Looking forward to Friday.
• elaine says:
  unluckey not beating hull kr .best of luck on friday when we play Celtic come on you saints do it for the fans and your selves.
• ste says:
  I think the rfl should do something about these refs cause from where i was sat that was a certainb try from puletua. Was a fantastic game an effort from all saints players but they cant win a game if they are playing against the ref as well. Lads put that game aside and lets focus on the crusaders game
• neville upson says:
  Living in London and having followed Sts for over 30yrs. I was pleased to see(hope I am right) a number of young players given thir chance, and from the report they did Sts proud. Neville Upson
• shakey says:
  unlucky saints disapointing from smith! well done to andrew dixon !
• The wires (challenge cup winners) says:
  you've had the ref for the last 10 years, now 1 match your blaming the ref. your a good team when you get your players out, but you cant sustain it if you get injuries which happend sunday. the ref didnt put the ball over the try line.