Highlights: Robins defeat young Saints despite resilient comeback

We made the trip over to Hull to take on Hull KR in the eighth round of the academy season, and despite a strong fight back, our Saints, unfortunately, fell to a second defeat of the season.

The game didn’t start the way the Saints would have wanted when after 6 minutes a kick from Hull Kr was put in behind the Saints defensive line on the third tackle and saw Connor Barley get the ball first and ground the ball. Jack Potter stepped up and converted from the left, giving Kr a 6-0 lead.

But it didn’t take long for the Saints to reply when 4 minutes later Ciaran Nolan picked the ball up from dummy half and dummied the markers before going through a big gap to race away from 30 metres out and score under the posts. Ellis Archer converted from right in front and got the side level, 6-6.

Just as the 20 minute mark approached after a good run from Keane Gilford towards the stick got the Saints set up on the Hull Kr line. From the resulting play-the-ball, Saints went left to Archer who got the ball and dummied the line to crash over on the right. He converted his own try and sent the Saints into the lead, 6-12.

But 5 minutes later Hull Kr struck back after getting a scrum 20 metres away from the line, and on the 2nd tackle the play went to the left again where Oscar Collingwood went over in the corner. Potter hit the post from out wide, 10-12.

In the 31st minute Hull Kr got themselves on the board again when they got another scrum 20 out from the line giving them more field position in the Saints half. They came left again, where Barley picked the ball up from the play-the-ball and barged over for his second of the game. He took over kicking duty, and hit the post, putting Kr 14-12 ahead.

3 minutes later a 40/20 got Hull Kr the ball on the 20 metre line again and set them up in a more good attacking field position. They went to the right this time where Harvey Horne got the ball out the back and went through the line to score. Barley couldn’t convert, 18-12

5 minutes into the second half, Hull Kr continued where they left off after Jacob Parkinson scooped up a quick play-the-ball from 5 metres out and barged his way over. Horne took over kicking duties and converted, 24-12.

But in the 47th minute, Saints struck back and got themselves back in the game after forcing an error from KR giving the Saints the ball 20 metres out. After Geroge Delaney went close, the ball was straight away played to Archer on the left who went over for his second of the game. He converted his own try again, and got the Saints back within 6 of Hull Kr, 24-18.

On the 60 minute mark Saints found themselves level when substitute Nathan Bannerman came on and ran a great line to go through the line to race away and score on the left. Archer converted from the left and got the Saints level, 24-24

6 minutes later after a few sets on the Hull Kr line, Archer received the ball just to the right to the posts and kicked a drop-goal from 10 metres out, giving the Saints the lead for the second time and completing a comeback to get the side ahead, 24-25.

But with 10 minutes to go Hull Kr got themselves back ahead when they broke down the left side, with the ball finding Collingwood on the wing who narrowly got down to score in the corner. Horne converted from the sideline, and took the score to 30-25, which sealed the win for the Robins, and despite the efforts from the Saints to get back ahead, it wasn’t enough to win the game inflicting only the second loss of the season upon the team.

Match Summary

Hull Kr team: Harvey Horne, Oscar Collingwood, Louie Gorman, Connor Barley, Keiran Smith, Zach Fishwick, Jack Potter, Harry Price, Owen Maull, Korben Pratt, Charlie Beet.

Bench: Jacob Parkinson, Cameron Ballard, Aj Chambers, Leo Tennison.

Tries: Connor Barley (2), Oscar Collingwood (2), Harvey Horne, Jacob Parkinson.

Goals: Jack Potter (1 from 2), Connor Barley (0 from 2), Harvey Horne (2 from 2).

Saints team: Harvey Braddish, Sammy Haynes, Jonathon Vaughan, Dayon Sambou, Keane Gilford, Ellis Archer, Max McGucken, George Delaney, Ciaran Nolan, Niall Dean, Alfie Pyke, McKenzie Buckley, Eliot Peposhi.

Bench: Noah Stephens, Alfie Sinclair, Nathan Bannerman, Sam Oakes.

Tries: Ellis Archer (2), Ciaran Nolan, Nathan Bannerman.

Goals: Ellis Archer (4 from 4)

Drop-goals: Ellis Archer (66)

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