Saints suffered a 34-4 defeat to Challenge Cup finalists Hull Kingston Rovers in East Yorkshire on Friday evening…

The hosts took the lead with the first chance of the game six minutes in. A Saints error inside our own half gifted the Robins field position, they used up a few tackles before going down the short-side on their left edge. Mikey Lewis found Kelepi Tanginoa, he offloaded to Jack Broadbent who scored in the corner. Arthur Mourgue converted, 6-0 Saints trailed.

Five minutes later, they had a second try. They spent some time camped in the Saints half following the opening try, on the last tackle they moved it right and Peta Hiku cut inside and was able to power his way over from close range. Mourgue converted, 12-0.

Sixteen minutes in, we had our first trip to the video referee. After a successful Captain’s Challenge, Saints spent several sets camped on the Robins line. Saints then moved the ball into the middle of the pitch from the left edge, Alex Walmsley broke through a gap and drove towards the line but was held up.

The very next play, we had another trip upstairs. From the restart, Saints moved the ball left. Lewis Murphy collected a cut-out pass from Jack Welsby, cut inside from the wing and bounced his way over the line under pressure to open the Saints scoring for the night. George Whitby’s kick hit the post, 12-4 Saints trailed.

Saints were reduced to twelve for ten minutes just after the midway point of the first half. Mourgue raced down the Robins right edge in Saints territory and was caught high by Deon Cross who was sent to the sin bin.

Hull KR had a good chance to increase their lead on the half-hour mark. They created an overlap down their left edge but Mark Percival did well to get across to Joe Burgess and force him to pass back inside, the hosts tried to keep the ball alive but Morgan Knowles was on hand to recover it on his own line.

Minutes later, they did have another try. Jez Litten collected the ball from dummy half and spotted space behind the Saints defence. He kicked early and Broadbent won the race to the loose ball to score his second try in the corner. Mourgue converted, 18-4.

From the restart, they had a fourth try. In the middle of the field, Sam Luckley offloaded to Mikey Lewis who raced towards the left corner and stumbled past Harry Robertson’s challenge to score. Mourgue’s kick hit the post, 22-4 Saints trailed.

They had a fifth try before the break. Lewis tried a chip over the top which was deflected back into his hands. He offloaded in a tackle to Elliot Minchella who scored under the sticks. Mourgue converted, 28-4 Hull KR led at the break in East Yorkshire.

Saints tried to hitback early on in the second half. First, they visitors spent a set camped on the hosts line, but Jonny Lomax’s kick on the last tackle was too strong. Then, off the back of consecutive penalties, the Red V moved it left but Cross was held up short of the line on the last tackle.

Sixteen minutes into the second half, we had another trip to the video referee. Following consecutive penalties, Saints moved the ball left and Lomax threw a cut-out pass to Murphy who looked to have finished spectacularly in the corner. As he grounded the ball though, part of it was in touch and Hull KR had the ball back.

It was the Robins who grabbed the first points of the second half. The hosts moved the ball from right to left, Lewis threw a dummy, broke through a gap and scored his second try in the corner. Mourgue converted, 34-4.

Saints tried to add some more points. A penalty gave Saints good field position. On the last tackle Whitby put in a low kick which forced the hosts to concede a dropout. The visitors couldn’t make the most of the extra set though, as Curtis Sironen knocked on trying to force an offload.

The fulltime siren sounded at Sewell Group Craven Park, as Saints were beaten 34-4 by the Robins in East Yorkshire.

Match Summary

Hull KR Team: Arthur Mourgue, Tom Davies, Peta Hiku, Jack Broadbent, Joe Burgess, Mikey Lewis, Tyrone May, Sauaso Sue, Jez Litten, Jai Whitbread, James Batchelor, Kelepi Tanginoa, Elliot Minchella.

Interchanges: Sam Luckley, Jack Brown, Eribe Doro, Bill Leyland.

18th Man: AJ Wallace.

Tries: Jack Broadbent (6, 33), Peta Hiku (12), Mikey Lewis (36, 61), Elliot Minchella (40)

Conversions: Arthur Mourgue (5 from 6)

Saints Team: Jack Welsby, Tristan Sailor, Mark Percival, Deon Cross, Lewis Murphy, Jonny Lomax, George Whitby, Alex Walmsley, Daryl Clark, Matty Lees, Curtis Sironen, Matt Whitley, Morgan Knowles,

Interchanges: Moses Mbye, Agnatius Paasi, George Delaney, Harry Robertson.

18th Man: Noah Stephens.

Tries: Lewis Murphy (16)

Conversions: George Whitby (0 from 1)

Sin Bin: Deon Cross (22)

HT: 28-4

FT: 34-4

Saints Line up

1 Jack Welsby
6 Tristan Sailor
4 Mark Percival
36 Deon Cross
20 Lewis Murphy
7 Jonny Lomax
27 George Whitby
8 Alex Walmsley
9 Daryl Clark
10 Matty Lees
11 Curtis Sironen
16 Matt Whitley
13 Morgan Knowles
14 Moses Mbye
17 Agnatius Paasi
19 George Delaney
26 Harry Robertson

Hull KR Line up

35 Arthur Mourgue
2 Tom Davies
3 Peta Hiku
18 Jack Broadbent
5 Joe Burgess
6 Mikey Lewis
7 Tyrone May
8 Sauaso Sue
9 Jez Litten
16 Jai Whitbread
20 Kelepi Tanginoa
12 James Batchelor
13 Elliot Minchella
15 Sam Luckley
21 Jack Brown
24 Eribe Doro
25 Bill Leyland

Last updated 30 May 25 21:58:16

FT

⏹ Full time in Round 13 at Sewell Group Craven Park.

Full time sponsored by Liverpool John Lennon Airport

78'

Mbye tries a flat fast pass to a Saints onrushing attacker, but we don’t catch it clean and knock on.

77'

Clark goes for the line, but as he does Hull KR hold him up and try drag him to touch, but Daryl gets a pass away.

It initially was the hosts’ ball but they lose it and we have a scrum, 20m out.

77'

🔄 Percival off, Clark on.

76'

Now Doro knocks on for the hosts.

75'

Saints though knock on not long after the penalty.

74'

Minchella after a play of the ball shoves Knowles, the KR captain is penalised for it before coming off the field through an interchange.

73'

Saints penalised for a tackle off the ball, more Robins pressure 20m out now.

72'

Robertson on a loose ball tries to pass it out to the right, but his pass is too strong and goes out by the sidelines.

70'

Paasi on, Delaney off with a HIA.

🔴⚪ 34-4 😇😇

69'

Saints throw the ball around a little, but Sironen looking to get a quick play of the ball off knocks on.

68'

A good George Whitby kick is patted out by Hull KR for a goal-line drop-out.

66'

KR give away a penalty, we kick into the hosts’ half and will push by their 20m line.

65'

Story of the game, Saints not able to get into the Hull KR half to build pressure in good ball position.

Lomax giving his all trying to shake away some defenders and go, but stopped.

62'
Goal
Arthur Mourgue for Hull KR

Mourgue adds the kick.

61'
Try
Mikey Lewis for Hull KR

The Robins finally make the pressure pay, Lewis on the left edge spots a gap and rushes into the left corner.

60'

🔄 Murphy off, Lees on.

Robins pushing by our line now.

59'

Again we cough up the ball in dangerous field position and gift the hosts a chance. Agony.

58'

The Robins break on their right, Saints keep scrambling though as they pull it all the way to the left and force a knock on.

57'

Robins get the ball back then after Murphy knocked on whilst grounding the ball.

56'

After three repeat penalties by the hosts, the Saints pull the ball to the left and Lewis Murphy goes in with a dive at the corner.

After a video ref check, it is not given.

56'

🔄 Knowles and Walmsley on, Paasi and Lees off.

🔴⚪ 28-4 😇😇

55'

Three back to back penalties by Hull KR, Saints will now push in the hosts’ 20m line.

54'

Lewis goes for it close to the line himself, but knocks on the ball.

53'

Yet another error from the Saints, in our own 30m. Delaney on the run loses the ball and knocks on.

51'

The Robins go hunting and try to keep the Saints pinned in our own 20m but Sironen unlocks the left edge with a good pass.

We still can’t get into their half though, before kicking on the last.

49'

Hiku on the right edge looks for a flick pass, but Murphy as he tackles him touches the ball and KR get the ball back by the halfway line.

48'

🔄 Mbye on, Clark off.

🔴⚪ 28-4 😇😇

46'

Lomax on the last tries to get Cross close, but Robins shut our #36 down.

45'

KR now strip the ball off Delaney in the tackle.

44'

Robins give away a penalty, a high shot by Luckley on a Saint.

43'

Murphy deals with a Robins bomb and chase very well.

42'

Lomax dabs a kick through on the left, but it’s too strong and KR get a tap 20m restart.

40'

Doro knocks on early in the set, good chance for a Saints attack.

40'

Second half is underway.

HT

⏸ A poor first half at the home of the Robins.

Half time sponsored by Liverpool John Lennon Airport

40'
Goal
Arthur Mourgue for Hull KR

Mourgue adds the kick from the middle to bring the half to a close.

39'
Try
Elliot Minchella for Hull KR

Lewis chips a kick which comes off Saints hands and back to him. As he is tackled he gets an offload away to Elliot Minchella to go in.

37'

Mourgue’s kick comes off the posts.

🔴⚪ 22-4 😇😇

36'
Try
Mikey Lewis for Hull KR

Hull KR go back-to-back.

Lewis gets an offload in the middle of the field and cuts through, he races away into the left corner.

35'

🔄 Robertson comes on, Welsby off.

🔴⚪ 18-4 😇😇

35'
Goal
Arthur Mourgue for Hull KR

Mourgue adds the two.

33'
Try
Jack Broadbent for Hull KR

The hosts extend their lead after a Litten dummy half run and a grubber kick for Broadbent to run onto and ground for a score.

32'

Saints have scrambled in defence whilst down a man very well.

The Robins looked to be in but on our left edge we leap on a rogue pass.

Cross is back on the field.

30'

🔄 Paasi on, Knowles off.

🔴⚪ 12-4 😇😇

28'

More strong defence by the Saints, despite being down a man, pinning the Robins in their own 40.

26'

Saints push the Robins back onto their own line after our first six-again. Lomax and Welsby try to link up, but the pass goes to ground and is knocked on.

🔴⚪ 12-4 😇😇

24'

Terrific defence after kicking high and forcing KR to start by their own 10m line.

23'

🔄 Delaney on, Walmsley off.

🔴⚪ 12-4 😇😇

23'

Great defence down on numbers, Sironen tackles a KR man and they lose the ball so he picks it up.

22'
Yellow Card
Deon Cross for Saints

🟨 Deon Cross is sent to the sin bin for a high shot on Arthur Mourgue.

🔴⚪ 12-4 😇😇

21'

The hosts are successful with the challenge.

New set, 20m out.

21'

Sue looks to have knocked on the ball, but Hull KR challenge the call.

21'

Percival is judged to have tackled Mourgue high, giving a penalty to the hosts in their own half. Another let off, come on Saints.

19'

Brilliant take from a Lewis bomb by Welsby, he shook away three chasing men before being stopped.

17'

Whitby misses the kick from out wide.

🔴⚪ 12-4 😇😇

16'
Try
Lewis Murphy for Saints

MURPHHHH! 💪 The Saints won’t be denied this time!

The ball is pulled left, a great Lomax pass sees Lewis Murphy shake away a defender and then go over to score!

The ref sends it up as a try for the VR, and it is given

16'

Walmsley off a Whitby pass powers over the line, but with KR men all over him.

Alex claims the try, but the referee sends it up as a no try.

15'

Back to back penalties for the Saints, KR firstly offside at the scrum, then a tackle off the ball.

14'

Challenge successful. The Saints will have their first sight of the try line with a scrum 20m out.

🔴⚪ 12-0 😇😇

14'

Sironen is judged to have stripped the ball, another penalty for the hosts in their own 20m.

Saints challenge the call.

13'
Goal
Arthur Mourgue for Hull KR

Mourgue adds the kick.

🔴⚪ 12-0 😇😇

11'
Try
Peta Hiku for Hull KR

After that stoppage in play, the hosts pull it right and Hiku as he’s tackled goes to ground and has the ball on the white line for a score.

11'

Time off, Knowles and Walmsley both need to have head cuts seen to after colliding with one another.

🔴⚪ 6-0 😇😇

10'

Robins get a penalty after Knowles tackle Lewis, it was judged to be too late.

8'

Frustrating, the Saints on tackle two give away a penalty for staying in a tackle too long.

7'
Goal
Arthur Mourgue for Hull KR

Mourgue adds the extras.

6'
Try
Jack Broadbent for Hull KR

6′ Try. Hull KR.

A knock-on in a tackle gifts the hosts territory, and an offload next to the line sees Broadbent score the opening points.

5'

Whitley catches a loose KR pass, but Percival cops a big hit and loses the ball on the next play.

3'

Saints reply well, Hull KR held by the halfway line before Sailor catches a high kick.

1'

Saints receive the ball from kick-off, Robins do well with their first defensive hit-up keeping us in our own 40m.

Kick Off

▶ KICK-OFF! The Saints are taking on Hull KR in Round 13 of Super League at Sewell Group Craven Park!

The boys arrived a little earlier!

😇 Here is your Saints lineup to face Hull KR tonight at Sewell Group Craven Park!

A milestone night for Alex Walmsley, as he takes to the field for St.Helens for the 300th time!

🔵🔴 𝑮𝑨𝑴𝑬 𝑫𝑨𝒀

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