A depleted Saints side were beaten 26-14 by Hull KR at Sewell Group Craven Park on Friday evening.
📋 Here is how your Saints line-up for tonight's @SuperLeague game against @hullkrofficial
Bennison on the wing, LMS starts at prop, Bell is in at loose forward and Percival moves to the back-row!
Follow the game with our Live Match Centre 👇#COYS | #HistoryInTheMaking
— St.Helens R.F.C. (@Saints1890) April 14, 2023
Saints took an early away lead. Konrad Hurrell almost sent Tommy Makinson through a gap but he slipped as he broke. Off the back of it Saints moved it left and Mark Percival found Will Hopoate who threw a great dummy to fool the Robins defender, he then found the supporting Jonny Lomax who strolled over to score. Percival converted, 0-6 the visitors led.
Scintillating @Saints1890 score 😍@lomax_1990 finishes after great work from the left edge 💪#SuperLeague #SLHKRStH pic.twitter.com/BFDklUQjLt
— Betfred Super League (@SuperLeague) April 14, 2023
Jon Bennison then had a good chance to increase the lead. Jack Welsby threw a great cut-out pass which went past two Saints heads and found the winger. The Robins scrambled back though and pushed Bennison into touch as he cut back infield,
The Robins then responded with 15 minutes of the first period to go. After forcing a goal-line dropout, the hosts moved the ball downfield and Mikey Lewis threw a dummy beating two Saints defenders to score. Former Saint Lachlan Coote added the two, 6-6 the scores were tied.
The visitors almost scored a great try moments later. The ball was moved right as try-scorer Lomax found Hurrell who broke down the right wing, he kicked inside towards two supporting Saints, but the bounce allowed Jordan Abdul to just about ground the ball in-goal as Makinson chased. Another repeat set followed but the Red V’s kick went dead in-goal, 6-6.
With a little under six minutes to go in the first half, Saints were awarded consecutive penalties in Rovers territory with a high and a late shot. Percival slotting the penalty through the posts, 6-8 the Saints led.
The Red V were then reduced to twelve for ten minutes as Matty Lees was sent to the sin bin following an alleged high shot. Coote converted the penalty seconds before the break, as the two sides went in level at 8-8 at half-time.
⏸ All even as the teams go into the sheds at Sewell Group Craven Park.#COYS | #HistoryInTheMaking
— St.Helens R.F.C. (@Saints1890) April 14, 2023
The Robins then took the lead for the first time with eight minutes gone of the second half. A Jordan Abdull kick lay in the visitors’ in-goal and Lewis won the race for his second try of the game. Coote converted again, 14-8 the hosts led. Jake Wingfield was then taken off the pitch for a HIA, he didn’t return to the game.
Rovers then grabbed their third try just before the hour mark. The hosts broke down their left edge and found a supporting Coote on their inside to score. Coote converted his own score, 20-8 Saints trailed.
With fourteen minutes to go, the hosts had their fourth try. After Saints fumbled the ball and gave away a penalty, Rovers moved downfield and on the last a kick through was chased and touched down by Jez Litten. Coote converted, 26-8.
Saints responded with less than ten minutes to go. The Saints marched downfield and Joey Lussick spotted a gap from dummy half and burrowed his way over to score. Percival converted, 26-14.
Saints had a chance to close the gap even further with four minutes to go, but Hurrell was held up inches short of the line. Makinson then dove for the corner with a few minutes to go, but the referee said he was in touch therefore giving the hosts the ball back.
Another great chance followed. A kick to the corner was grounded in-goal by the hosts as Saints looked to pounce on the loose ball, making them dropout from under their own sticks. Saints knocked on the kick and that ran the clock down, as we were beaten 26-14 by Hull KR at Sewell Group Craven Park.
⏹ Our down on troops Saints fought well but fall to an away defeat to Hull KR.#COYS | #HistoryInTheMaking
— St.Helens R.F.C. (@Saints1890) April 14, 2023
Match Summary
Hull KR Team: Lachlan Coote, Shaun Kenny-Dowall, Tom Opacic, Corey Hall, Ryan Hall, Mikey Lewis, Jordan Abdull, Rhys Kennedy, Matt Parcell, George King, Dean Hadley, Kane Linnett, Elliott Minchella.
Interchanges: Jez Litten, Matty Storton, Sam Luckley, Frankie Halton.
18th Man: Jimmy Keinhorst.
Tries: Mikey Lewis (25, 48), Lachlan Coote (59), Jez Litten (67)
Conversions: Lachlan Coote (4 from 4)
Penalties: Lachlan Coote (1 from 1)
Saints Team: Jack Welsby, Tommy Makinson, Konrad Hurrell, Will Hopoate, Jon Bennison, Jonny Lomax, Lewis Dodd, Matty Lees, James Roby, Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Mark Percival, Sam Royle, James Bell.
Interchanges: Joey Lussick, Jake Wingfield, Tee Ritson, George Delaney.
18th Man: Lewis Baxter.
Tries: Jonny Lomax (15), Joey Lussick (71)
Conversions: Mark Percival (2 from 2)
Penalties: Mark Percival (1 from 1)
Sin Bin: Matty Lees (38)
HT: 8-8
FT: 26-14
Attendance:
