HULL KR 31-18 WAKEFIELD WILDCATS

Sun 8th Mar 2009

Michael Dobson starred again as Rovers registered back-to-back Super League wins, with a comfortable five-try victory over a depleted Wakefield side.

The Robins welcomed an injury-ravaged Wakefield side to a blustery and very cold Craven Park, as they looked to follow up from their hard-earned win at St Helens the previous week. Chaz I'Anson continued to deputise for the injured Paul Cooke, while Ben Cockayne was replaced in the squad by Liam Colbon, who had recovered from the thigh problem which forced him to sit out the win at Knowsley Road.

The Wildcats' luck with injuries got worse even before the game started, as Ryan Atkins pulled out in the warm-up and Brad Drew left the field dazed and limping after a thunderous hit from Scott Murrell inside the first set of the game.

With a strong wind at their backs in the first period, the Robins needed a strong first half performance to get some points on the board, but it was the mid-way point in the half before they finally opened the scoring. A good inside ball from Michael Dobson sent Shaun Briscoe racing through a gaping hole in the Wakefield defence, and the full-back rounded his opposite number to touch down. Dobson converted, and a couple of minutes later, the Red and Whites were almost in again. A good short ball from Nick Fozzard sent Briscoe breaking away again, but as the supporting Murrell tried to step around Damien Blanch, the winger just managed to get a hand on him and knock the ball loose.

However Rovers were not going to be denied, and as half time approached, they registered a quick-fire double to put themselves in the driving seat. First a good short ball from Murrell sent Clint Newton storming through another hole in the Wakefield line, around Matt Blaymire and under the posts. Five minutes later, a loose ball from Jason Demetriou was kicked on by Dobson, collected by Murrell and handed on to Peter Fox, only for Blanch to haul him down ten metres out from the line. But Wakefield were not going to be let off the hook, as a Dobson grubber was missed by Blaymire and Murrell was on hand to touch down.

Dobson converted both, but Kris Welham and Murrell contrived to knock on the restart, as the ball was held up in the wind, giving the Wildcats one last attacking chance before the break, and they took full advantage. A cut out ball down the short side from Demetriou put Kevin Henderson over wide out, and Tony Martin converted to cut the Robins lead at half time.

Half-Time: Hull KR 18 Wakefield Wildcats 6


With only a two-score lead at the start of the second half, and a strong wind in their faces, the Robins were under pressure early, as Wakefield started strongly and came very close to cutting the deficit even more. Peter Fox knocked on an ugly looking kick from Richard Moore on his own line, and Scott Murrell was forced to drop on the loose ball and concede a penalty. From the tap penalty a big charge from Oliver Wilkes got him over the line, but four Rovers defenders held him up and kept the Wildcats at bay.

Instead, the Red and Whites responded with another five-minute brace to put the game out of the Wildcats reach. Ben Fisher capitalised on a lazy marker to scoot over from 15 metres out, despite the attentions of Matt Blaymire. Dobson converted, and then threw a good long cut-out ball to give Liam Colbon a one-on-one with his opposite number Dave Halley, and a big fed from the former Wigan man got him over the line. Dobson added the extras again to bring up the 30-point mark, and put an end to the contest, but as hour mark came, there were signs that the Robins could be starting to take their foot off the gas.

From turning the ball over in the corner, on the Wakefield line, they conceded back-to-back penalties to carry the Wildcats the length of the pitch, and were made to pay the penalty. Danny Sculthorpe's short ball sent Dale Ferguson over from close range, and four minutes later, Sean Gleeson showed good footwork to get himself over wide out. Tony Martin converted both to eat into the Robins' lead, but Dobson calmed any nerves in Craven Park with a coolly-slotted drop goal with three minutes left on the clock to finish the game.

After the game, Rovers' coach Justin Morgan declared himself happy with the way his side followed up from their victory at St Helens the previous week, despite admitting that the Robins' weren't at their best.

"We have not been at our best all year and today was no exception but we got the two points," Morgan said.

"After reaching the highs of last week and achieving everything we did last week, you can sometimes not bounce back and be a little bit flat. But I thought for the first 40 minutes, apart from their try just before half time, I thought we were very good. I thought we were very solid, and I thought our concentration level was good."

Full-Time: Hull KR 31 Wakefield Wildcats 18


Hull KR: 1. Shaun Briscoe; 2. Peter Fox, 19. Kris Welham, 4. Jake Webster, 5. Liam Colbon; 21. Chaz I'Anson, 7. Michael Dobson; 8. Nick Fozzard, 15. Daniel Fitzhenry, 11. Clint Newton; 3. Chev Walker, 12. Ben Galea, 13. Scott Murrell.

Replacements: 9. Ben Fisher, 17. Makali Aizue, 16. Jason Netherton, 24. Rhys Lovegrove.

Wakefield: 1. Matt Blaymire; 2. Damien Blanch, 19. Sean Gleeson, 17. Kevin Henderson, 22. Dave Halley; 3. Tony Martin, 8. Jason Demetriou; 12. Oliver Wilkes, 9. Brad Drew, 16. Ricky Bibey; 11. Steve Snitch, 29. Jay Pitts, 24. Dale Ferguson.

Replacements: 32. James Davey, 31. Luke Blake, 28. Kyle Bibb, 10. Danny Sculthorpe.


Referee: Mr T. Alibert Attendance: 9,038