Much-changed Saints battle past Hull KR

Despite a number of enforced changes, Saints battled back from a half-time deficit to defeat Hull KR 36-24 at the Totally Wicked Stadium.

James Roby, Mark Percival, Zeb Taia and Alex Walmsley were all forced to miss out so Justin Holbrook was enforced to make four changes with Aaron Smith, Jack Welsby, James Bentley and Kyle Amor coming in.

The changes didn’t seem to make much difference early on mind as Saints got off to a flyer as Dom Peyroux was set loose by Theo Fages and he dropped the shoulder past the full back to give Lachlan Coote the simplest of finishes for the opener. Coote tagging on the extras for an early 6-0 lead!

Saints were over again in a matter of minutes. This time after great handling from right to left resulted in Fages providing the cut-out pass for Jack Welsby who went over in the corner for his first senior try on only his second senior appearance.

Luke Thompson then made it 16-0 after the England international latched onto an excellent short ball from Morgan Knowles. Coote converted the extras.

Theo Fages added to Saints absentees 20 minutes in as he was forced off through injury and Hull KR, to their credit capitalised scoring three tries in 16 minutes. First Kane Linnett went over in the corner, before winger Will Oakes powered over two minutes later and Linnett sent Rovers into the break ahead after Ryan Shaw kicked all three conversions.

Within the opening five minutes of the second half Saints won a penalty right in front of the sticks and Coote levelled the game at 18-18.

But the dogged Rovers came right back at Saints and after a neat kick through from Josh Drinkwater, Lunt pounced on the ball to give them a shock 18-24 lead.

An end to end game saw Saints march up the other end and this time it was Amor who crashed over from close range levelling the score at 24-24. Coote adding the extras.

A few big hits from Saints forwards got the Totally Wicked crowd rocking and on the hour mark Saints stepped up the pressure with Coote’s kicking game forcing repeat sets.

Our momentum told in the 62nd minute when Smith managed to sneak over from dummy half for his first Saints try of the season and we now lead 30-24.

Saints then looked in control and put the game to bed with 10 minutes to go as direct from the scrum, the ball was fed from left to right and Grace went in at the corner for the easiest of finishes.

Saints march on!

Match Summary:

Saints:

Tries:  Coote (5), Welsby (14), Thompson (19), Amor (58), Smith (62), Grace (74).

Goals: Coote (6 from 8)

Starting 13: Lachlan Coote, Tommy Makinson, Kevin Naiqama, Jack Welsby, Regan Grace, Jonny Lomax, Theo Fages, Matthew Lees, Aaron Smith, Luke Thompson, James Bentley, Dom Peyroux, Morgan Knowles.

Interchanges: Joseph Paulo, Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Kyle Amor, Jack Ashworth.

Hull KR:

Tries: Linnett (24,37), Oakes (27), Lunt (50).

Goals: Shaw (4 from 4)

Starting 13: Craig Hall, Ryan Shaw, Jimmy Keinhorst, Ben Crooks, Will Oakes, Josh Drinkwater, Chris Atkin, Mose Masoe, Tommy Lee, George Lawler, Joel Tomkins , Kane Linnett, Weller Hauraki .

Interchanges: Mitch Garbutt , Taioalo Vaivai , Danny Addy, Shaun Lunt.

HT: 16-18
FT: 36-24

REF: T.Grant

ATT: 10,003

Saints Line up

1 Lachlan Coote
2 Tommy Makinson
3 Kevin Naiqama
1 Jack Welsby
5 Regan Grace
6 Jonny Lomax
7 Theo Fages
10 Matty Lees
19 Aaron Smith
10 Luke Thompson
12 James Bentley
12 Dominique Peyroux
13 Morgan Knowles
18 Joseph Paulo
18 Kyle Amor
15 Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook
17 Jack Ashworth

Hull KR Line up

1Craig Hall
2Ryan Shaw
3Jimmy Keinhorst
4Ben Crooks
5Will Oakes
6Josh Drinkwater
7Chris Atkin
8Mose Masoe
9Tommy Lee
10George Lawler
11Joel Tomkins
12Kane Linnett
13Weller Hauraki
14Shaun Lunt
15Danny Addy
16 Junior Vaivai
17Mitch Garbutt

Last updated 29 Mar 19 21:27:14

FT: SAINTS 36-24 HULL KR ?⚪

79'

COOOOOOOTE is announced as our Man of the Match as we approach the final minute.

SAINTS 36-24 HULL KR ?⚪

76'
Goal
Lachlan Coote for Saints

He makes no mistake!

SAINTS 36-24 HULL KR ?⚪

75'

Saints win another penalty and it looks like Coooote will take the two to put this one to bed!

SAINTS 34-24 HULL KR ?⚪

74'

Coote misses the touchline kick, but we have a 10 point lead!

SAINTS 34-24 HULL KR ?⚪

74'
Try
Regan Grace for Saints

And straight from the scrum, the ball is played out to the left and Regan flies over in the corner! Get innnnnn!!

SAINTS 34-24 HULL KR ?⚪

72'

Tommy Mak is forced into touch, but the ball came off a KR man and we have the scrum!

SAINTS 30-24 HULL KR ?⚪

70'

Saints force the turnover after keeping Rovers out on our own line.

SAINTS 30-24 HULL KR ?⚪

68'

Fages has left the field with Bentley now in the centres and Welsby in the halves.

SAINTS 30-24 HULL KR ?⚪

66'

Tomkins knocks on and Saints have it back as Peyroux is back on for Knowles.

SAINTS 30-24 HULL KR ?⚪

65'

Rovers win a penalty and Saints need to keep it tight here!

SAINTS 30-24 HULL KR ?⚪

63'
Goal
Lachlan Coote for Saints

Coooooote extends our lead to six with just less than 20 minutes to go!

SAINTS 30-24 HULL KR ?⚪

62'
Try
Aaron Smith for Saints

Yessssss! Az Smith dashes from dummy half to score!

SAINTS 28-24 HULL KR ?⚪

61'

LMS traps Atkin in goal and Saints come again! This is more like it!

SAINTS 24-24 HULL KR ?⚪

Grace with a break…

59'
Goal
Lachlan Coote for Saints

It’s all square once again! COYS!

SAINTS 24-24 HULL KR ?⚪

58'
Try
Kyle Amor for Saints

Get innnnn! We needed that. Amor powers his way over from close range.

SAINTS 22-24 HULL KR ?⚪

57'

A wonderful kick from Coooooote results in Lomax forcing Hall in goal and the noise levels rise before Saints win a penalty for a high shot.

SAINTS 18-24 HULL KR ?⚪

55'

Great defence from Saints forces the turnover. Come on boys!

SAINTS 18-24 HULL KR ?⚪

54'

Grace knocks on and Hull KR have another chance 10 metres out to score again.

SAINTS 18-24 HULL KR ?⚪

52'
Goal
Ryan Shaw for Hull KR

The two have been added and we trail again.

SAINTS 18-24 HULL KR ?⚪

50'
Try
Danny Addy for Hull KR

Lomax picks up the low kick in his own goal, but loses the ball trying to break free and it looks like it’s Danny Addy who pounces to score.

SAINTS 18-22 HULL KR ?⚪

50'

Coote tries to pick up a miss-placed pass and palms it to Grace, but Regan can’t hang on and Hull KR have the ball in the scrum.

SAINTS 18-18 HULL KR ?⚪

45'
Goal
Lachlan Coote for Saints

It’s all square here at the Totally Wicked!

SAINTS 18-18 HULL KR ?⚪

45'

Welsby wins another penalty and the bench have called for the two. A kick from Coooote to come.

SAINTS 16-18 HULL KR ?⚪

45'

The crowd are up as Grace picks up a high bomb and beats 10 Hull players to get the Saints into the visitors half, before Makinson wins a penalty and we are 10 metres out!

SAINTS 16-18 HULL KR ?⚪

42'

A high kick from Atkin is knocked on and Saints have the ball back although Coote got a bang to the head in the challenge for the ball.

SAINTS 16-18 HULL KR ?⚪

41'
Kick Off

We are back underway here at the Totally Wicked. COYS!

SAINTS 16-18 HULL KR ?⚪

HT: SAINTS 16-18 HULL KR ?⚪

Work to do in the second half!

38'
Goal
Ryan Shaw for Hull KR

Hull KR lead by two.

SAINTS 16-18 HULL KR ?⚪

37'
Try
Kane Linnett for Hull KR

And it is all square as Linnett grabs his second powering over. Kick to come.

SAINTS 16-16 HULL KR ?⚪

37'

Hull KR now have a chance after successive penalties to level this game up. Hang on, boys!

SAINTS 16-12 HULL KR ?⚪

35'

How have we not scored there? Grace fumbles with the try line beckoning after Welsby offloaded when the better option may have been to go alone.

SAINTS 16-12 HULL KR ?⚪

34'

Morgan Knowles with a HUGE shot and Saints have the scrum. Can we grab another try before the break?

SAINTS 16-12 HULL KR ?⚪

32'

Hull KR survive and force the turn-over.

SAINTS 16-12 HULL KR ?⚪

Saints win a penalty 20 metres out and we have a chance here…

SAINTS 16-12 HULL KR ?⚪

28'
Goal
Ryan Shaw for Hull KR

There’s now just one try in it here at the Totally Wicked Stadium.

SAINTS 16-12 HULL KR ?⚪

27'
Try
Will Oakes for Hull KR

The visitors score again in the left corner. Kick to come.

SAINTS 16-10 HULL KR ?⚪

25'
Goal
Ryan Shaw for Hull KR

Ryan Shaw adds the extras.

SAINTS 16-6 HULL KR ?⚪

24'
Try
Kane Linnett for Hull KR

But straight from the next play Linnett goes over in the corner.

SAINTS 16-4 HULL KR ?⚪

23'

We are running riot and Tommy Mak breaks free on the right, kicks the ball over the top, but it just runs dead before Kevin Naiqama can touch down.

SAINTS 16-0 HULL KR ?⚪

21'
Goal
Lachlan Coote for Saints

Cooooooote adds the extras!

SAINTS 16-0 HULL KR ?⚪

20'
Try
Luke Thompson for Saints

We are in again, this time through Thompson as he latches onto a lovely short ball from Morgan Knowles. Get in!

SAINTS 14-0 HULL KR ?⚪

14'

Coote misses the touchline conversion attempt.

SAINTS 10-0 HULL KR ?⚪

14'
Try
Jack Welsby for Saints

On just his second first team appearance and first start of the season Jack Welsby grabs his first Saints try going over in the corner after a lovely cut-out pass from Fages. Well in Jack!

SAINTS 10-0 HULL KR ?⚪

13'

Saints force a drop out after two brilliant offloads from Fages and Coooote. We come again!

SAINTS 6-0 HULL KR ?⚪

12'

Kane Linnett is held up on the Saints line after a high kick from Josh Drinkwater before the visitors are penalised for hands in the play the ball and Saints have it back.

SAINTS 6-0 HULL KR ?⚪

9'

Saints have the ball back after a weak set from KR and we have a chance 20 metres out to double our lead, but Thompson knocks on when trying to offload.

SAINTS 6-0 HULL KR ?⚪

6'
Goal
Lachlan Coote for Saints

The Saints crowd will tell you that Coooooote has converted the two and it’s the perfect start!

SAINTS 6-0 HULL KR ?⚪

5'
Try
Lachlan Coote for Saints

WHAT A START and it’s that man again, Cooooooooote! Fages with a great break feeds Peyroux who drops the shoulder twice and offloads to Coote who finishes easily. Get in!

SAINTS 4-0 HULL KR ?⚪

4'

Hull KR are penalised for a forward pass and the Saints come forward!

SAINTS 0-0 HULL KR ?⚪

3'

Saints survive as a Hull KR forward is held up on the line and the visitors come again with another set of six.

SAINTS 0-0 HULL KR ?⚪

1'

James Bentley unfortunately knocks on with the first play of the game and Hull KR have the chance to take an early lead here.

SAINTS 0-0 HULL KR ?⚪

KICK OFF! We are underway here at the Totally Wicked Stadium!

COYS!

SAINTS 0-0 HULL KR ?⚪