Headlines
TEENAGERS ARE TOP OF THE CLASS
Monday 19th July 2010
The two sides served up a feast of thrilling rugby at Craven Park with Rovers snatching the spoils thanks to a late try from winger James Maughan.
Wigan, beaten just once this season, had led by two points going into the closing stages but it was Rovers - whose squad contains just one out of town player - who came out on top.
Webster said: "We got off to a good start with a Callum Taylor try after only two minutes, then kept our heads when Wigan came straight back to score themselves. The lads didn’t panic at any stage. They got themselves 12-4 up by the break and then when Wigan appeared to have won it, they didn’t give it up. They kept playing their football and put winger James Maughan in at the corner – then had enough resilience to hold Wigan up over the line in the final few minutes.”
It was Rovers first win in the play-offs following a heartbreaking defeat at Leeds Rhinos in their first match.
Webster is hoping the Robins can build on the success - starting with what promises to be a tough trip to Widnes on Saturday.
He added: "Personally, I didn’t think we were at our best against Wigan and that there’s plenty more to come from these boys. Our togetherness and high completion rates have been major factors this year and the boys have shown what they can do by qualifying for the leading group of the competition, alongside the likes of Wigan, St. Helens and Leeds - and ahead of clubs like Warrington, Bradford, Hull and last year’s champions Wakefield.
"We’ve given them their chance to show what they can do when they make the next step up. Eight of them have played for the U20’s already this year while only five of Saturday’s squad won’t be eligible to play 18’s football next year. We’ve signed Jordan Cox who’s qualified to play for the 18’s. He played for the U20’s at the weekend and he’s already training full-time with the Super League squad while at the other end of the scale, Sonny Esslemont made his Academy debut against Wigan from the U16’s.
"Martin Dunn, who’s our Head of Youth Development, deserves great credit for our recruitment. We’re attracting players from a variety of areas as they realise that Hull Kingston Rovers is a good club to be with.”
