A ten-minute spell down to 11-men saw the Robins go down to a crushing defeat to St Helens, despite a spirited performance which belied the scoreline

With the memory of the heavy defeat at Murrayfield still fresh in their minds, Rovers travelled to the GPW Recruitment Stadium to take on St Helens for the second time in the space of three weeks. This time however, the Robins went into the game on the back of a confidence-boosting win over the Crusaders.

Jake Webster failed to shake off a hip problem so Justin Morgan named an unchanged side for the clash, however Rovers faced a late setback when their arrival was delayed by a breakdown on the M62.

On a beautiful summers' evening, it was the Saints who started brightest, opening the scoring four minutes in as Leon Pryce's basketball-style pass allowed Matt Gidley to put Ade Gardner in at the corner.

The Robins were handed a chance for an immediate response though after a Jamie Foster knock-on, and after Jason Netherton had been held up over the line by three defenders, a perfectly-judged Michael Dobson grubber allowed Kris Welham to touch down.

Dobson converted from wide out to put the Red and Whites ahead, and they were soon hammering at the home side's door again after a towering spiral bomb from Scott Murrell was knocked on by Jonny Lomax.

A pin-point cross-kick from Dobson broke loose as Peter Fox and Foster competed in the air and Dobson was backing up to pick up the pieces and touch down.

Referee James Child handed the decision to video referee Ben Thaler, and after several slow-motion replays, the try was rather puzzlingly ruled out with Fox was penalised for allegedly impeding Foster as the two leapt with their eyes on the ball.

That call turned out to be a turning point in a very even first quarter, as the Saints marched straight down to the Robins' line, with Eastmond and Gidley sending Gardner in for his second score.

If the Robins felt harshly done to by that call, by half-time they were incandescent.

Pryce's church-steeple of a bomb was knocked back by Foster, and Chris Flannery was on hand to send Tony Puletua over.

But then came the talking points which really angered the Rovers players.

Ben Cockayne took a quick 20-metre restart, gaining 20 easy metres before being pulled down. The ball came loose in the tackle, and despite having had his back to the play, referee Child ruled a knock-on. Subsequent replays showed that Pryce had clearly pushed the ball free, and the Saints took full advantage as Flannery went over wide out.

Eastmond converted, before a crazy last ten minutes of the half produced two sin-binnings and another six points.

First Ben Cockayne was somewhat harshly dispatched to the bench for a borderline late challenge on Eastmond as he kicked, and then barely two minutes later, he was joined by Ben Fisher, who was ruled to have committed the latest in a string of high tackles.

With the Robins fuming and two men light, the Saints turned the screw, and James Roby sent Jake Emmitt over, and only some heroic defence kept the home side at bay to the break.

Half-Time: St Helens 26      Hull KR 6

The Red and Whites kicked off the second half still shorthanded, and the home side quickly took full advantage, to put the game beyond the Robins with three tries in the first ten minutes.

Puletua's one-handed offload sent Scott Moore over, quick hands allowed Gardner to complete his hat-trick, and Eastmond used his pace to slice through a rapidly tiring Rovers defence.

The Robins finally got their hands on the ball 12 minutes into the half, and wasted no time in turning it into points - aided by a rare penalty in their favour.

Dobson's beautifully-weighted grubber was dotted down by Clint Newton, Dobson adding the extras. However that was as good as it was going to get for the Red and Whites, as they finally ran out of steam and the Saints cut loose.

Four minutes after Newton's score, Gidley was put over at the corner to put the home side back on top, and Eastmond's chip handed Gardner his fourth try not long after as Saints hit 50.

With the final whistle not coming fast enough for the Robins, the home side continued to rack up the points as Lomax and Roby went over to bring up the 60.

With the travelling army of Rovers' fans still singing hard, the Saints rounded off the game with one last try - Andrew Dixon rather fortuitously being awarded the score by video referee Thaler after Fox was pushed into a jumping Briscoe.

One look at the scoreline may tell one story, but the Robins were far from being 56 points behind the Saints, and with the impending return of Jake Webster and Liam Colbon, the Red and Whites will be looking for a big response.

Full-Time: St Helens 68      Hull KR 12

Hull KR: 1. Shaun Briscoe; 2. Peter Fox, 11. Clint Newton, 3. Kris Welham, 28. Ben Cockayne; 9. Scott Murrell, 7. Michael Dobson; 20. Mick Vella, 21. Josh Hodgson, 30. Joel Clinton; 16. Jason Netherton, 13. Ben Galea, 22. Liam Watts.

Replacements: 8. Rhys Lovegrove, 10. Scott Wheeldon, 14. Matt Cook, 17. Ben Fisher.

St Helens: 26. Jonny Lomax; 2. Ade Gardner, 3. Matt Gidley, 13. Chris Flannery, 30. Jamie Foster; 6. Leon Pryce, 7. Kyle Eastmond; 10. James Graham, 9. Kieron Cunningham, 15. Bryn Hargreaves; 17. Paul Clough, 22. Andrew Dixon, 14. James Roby.

Replacements: 11. Tony Puletua, 16. Scott Moore, 18. Matty Ashurst, 25. Jake Emmitt.

Referee: Mr J. Child