Despite second half four-pointers from Chris Flannery, Paul Clough and Ste Tyrer, the men in the Dark Blue Vee just came up short.

 

And they nearly nicked it after the hooter went, but a scintillating 70 yard move was called off for an infringment.

 

In a couple of changes, Keiron Cunningham started on the bench with James Roby at ‘9’ and Ste Tyrer replaced Willie Talau. James Graham and Maurie Fa’asavalu also made their 100^th appearances for the Club.

 

Hull KR started with the same team that came up short against Leeds last week.

 

Saints opened the match with a strong set of six finished with a deep kick to the posts from Long.

 

On their next set a high ball from the number 7 caused panic in the Robins defence but Briscoe snuffed out the danger.

 

Hull KR thought they had scored first through Daniel Fitzhenry on five minutes but the touch judge raised his flag for an infringement.

 

On KR’s next set of six, a penalty put them within striking distance and after some strong runs down the middle Jake Webster notched a four pointer. Murrell successful with the extras.

 

James Webster then put up a high ball that was taken well under pressure by Paul Wellens.

 

On the quarter of an hour mark and coinciding with the introduction with Fa’asavalu, the big man made a break down the centre and on the next tackle it was worked wide to Gilmour who put it back inside to Meli.

 

The ball was then sent high for Tyrer who just couldn’t gather it in – being pulled up for a touch forward as he re-gathered and went over the line.

 

Three minutes later Rovers found themselves within feet of the try line and stretched their lead when a chip to the corner was taken by well by Fitzhenry. Murrell then slotted from the touchline to give his charges a 12-0 lead.

 

Clint Newton then took a pass from his centre to stretch the home side’s lead further.

 

On 34 minutes Saints moved to within Hull’s 20 and after good work from Long and Wilkin, Cunningham scored one of his classic burrowing tries to get his men on the board. Tyrer then added a nice conversion.

 

Long was then held up over the try line following some scintillating passing that had seen two or three Saints players work their magic.

 

Half time: Hull KR 16 Saints 6

 

Hull started the second half like they did the first. Gilmour was penalised for a high tackle and from the tap Murrell made a break sending in Briscoe who just put the ball down under pressure from Pryce. Murrell added the extras.

 

Saints continued to run hard at the line but couldn’t find any change from the Robins defence. Then Long sent out a nice pass to Leon, who took on the line and worked a gap to send in Chris Flannery. Tyrer cool with the extras.

 

Saints then produced a bit of magic to pry open the defence once more. Long, got the ball to Pryce who caught Wellens flat out to take on the line. The full back then got the ball inside, one handed, around the back of the Robins defence to put in Paul Clough. Tyrer just wide with the conversion.

 

On 67 minutes, Long again broke the Robins line to combine with Graham to send in Ste Tyrer. The young centre then tied the scores up with a sweetly taken conversion.

 

With six minutes to go Jake Webster added a penalty to give KR a two point lead.

 

Tyrer then tried a two-pointer from the touchline but was just wide.

 

Saints thought they had scored when the hooter had gone as they kept it alive through at least 10 pairs of hands, but as Gidley went over the line, the referee went back some seventy yards to rule that Lee Gilmour had passed after the tackle had been completed.

Tries: Jake Webster, Fitzhenry, Newton, Briscoe

Goals: Murrell (3 from 4), Webster (1 from 1)

Tries: Cunningham, Flannery, Clough, Tyrer

Goals: Tyrer (3 from 4)

Hull KR: 9

Saints: 6

HT: 6-16

FT: 22-24

ATT: 8,713

Ref: Ben Thaler

1. Shaun Briscoe; 2. Peter Fox, 3. Chev Walker, 4. Jake Webster, 5. Daniel Fitzhenry; 28. Chris Chester, 7. James Webster; 20. Mick Vella (c), 22. Kirk Netherton, 10. David Mills, 11. Clint Newton, 12. Ben Galea, 13. Scott Murrell.

(Subs): 8. Garret Crossman, 17. Makali Aizue, 14. Stanley Gene, 15. Ben Cockayne.

1. Paul Wellens; 2. Ade Gardner, 3. Matt Gidley, 22. Ste Tyrer, 5. Francis Meli; 6. Leon Pryce, 7. Sean Long; 8. Nick Fozzard, 14. James Roby, 17. James Graham, 11. Lee Gilmour, 16. Chris Flannery, 12. Jon Wilkin.

(Subs): 9. Keiron Cunningham, 15. Mike Bennett, 21. Paul Clough, 23. Maurie Fa’asavalu.