Match Report
Peter Fox was denied a last minute try as the Robins fell to a narrow defeat in the 210th Hull derby.
Having turned in their best performance of the season to complete the double over the Leeds Rhinos, Rovers travelled across the city to face local rivals Hull FC. Mick Vella picked up a rib injury in training, so Scott Wheeldon was recalled to face his former club. Kris Welham was again sidelined with a shoulder problem, so after an impressive Super League debut, loan signing Josh Charnley continued in the centres.
In front of a packed away end the Robins got the game underway, but it was the home side who had the better of the opening exchanges, and the first attacking chance of the night.
Under pressure from Mark Calderwood, Sam Latus spilled Jordan Tansey's high kick to give the Black and Whites the field position, and after the tackle count had been restarted, Danny Washbrook's offload allowed Danny Houghton to dart over.
Danny Tickle converted, and six minutes later he was handed the chance to extend the home side's lead after Ben Cockayne was rather harshly penalised in possession for moving off the mark to play the ball. Tickle slotted over the goal, and a matter of minutes later, a misunderstanding in the Robins' defence almost proved costly.
Latus and Shaun Briscoe got in each others' way going for another high kick from Tansey, and with only the seemingly simple task of diving on the loose ball standing between him and a second Hull try, Calderwood managed to knock-on.
The Red and Whites wasted no time in taking full advantage of that slice of luck, and quickly opened their account with a first Super League try to youngster Josh Charnley.
As the ball was moved wide, Clint Newton's long pass caught Kirk Yeaman ball-watching, and Charnley raced over from 40 metres.
Michael Dobson converted and the Robins began to turn the screw on the home side, forcing drop-outs on two occasions but without being able to convert the pressure into points.
The home side were winning the physical contest, and with half-time fast approaching, they extended their advantage after a break by Tickle.
The back-rower was pulled down ten metres out, but Houghton shot away from dummy half, escaping the clutches of Cockayne before finding Epalahame Lauaki with a long ball. The Black and Whites had a three-man overlap, but Lauaki opted to go himself and was cut down short.
However referee Phil Bentham handed Hull another chance after ruling that Cockayne had caught Houghton was high, and Tickle again took the points on offer.
Then in the final minute, a loose offload deep in their own quarter threatened to gift the Black and Whites another try. Rhys Lovegrove did well to carry the ball out of his own in-goal area, only to lose it as he was pushed back towards his own line.
Straight from the scrum, Tansey's grubber was palmed into the air by Tickle and Cockayne was on hand to palm the ball dead. Video referee Richard Silverwood was called in to rule on whether Tickle had been taken out as he waited for the ball to drop, but the decision was a knock-on against the Hull man.
Half-Time: Hull FC 10 Hull KR 6
After a somewhat patchy first half display, the Robins needed a strong start to the second period, and that's just what they gave the massed army of Red and White fans.
Their first penalty of the game in the first set of the half put them on the attack, and Dobson's short ball sent Newton powering straight through Lauaki and Richard Whiting and over.
Dobson's conversion drifted wide, leaving the sides locked at 10-all, but the home side hit back swiftly to re-take the lead.
Tansey's high kick was taken by Latus, but the youngster was immediately pulled over the sideline. Then in the next set, Richard Horne's cross-kick allowed Willie Manu to touch down.
The Red and Whites earned themselves a chance to respond after Tansey spilled Scott Murrell's spiral bomb, but a sloppy offload from Charnley let the home side off the hook.
The Robins were paying the penalty for some poor execution in the opponent's quarter, and they were soon two scores behind and staring down the barrel of a painful defeat.
Richard Horne's kick looked to be bouncing out of play until Calderwood kicked it in-field and Shaun Berrigan picked up to score.
Tickle added the extras, and both sides were reduced to twelve men for ten minutes as things finally boiled over between the two sets of players shortly after.
Cockayne was pushed by Calderwood and the two exchanged blows, sparking an all-in brawl which resulted in the pair being sent to the sin-bin to cool down.
With three-quarters of the KC Stadium already celebrating a win, the Red and Whites dug deep and manufactured a response.
Good work from Murrell put Fox away down the touchline, and his offload was kicked into touch to give the Robins the scrum. From there, Rovers were awarded only their second penalty of the contest, and again made it count, as Liam Watts dummied and stepped through a gap to reach over and score.
Dobson wasted no time adding the extras, and suddenly nerves were jangling all round the ground, but when a Dobson inside ball was called forward by referee Bentham, that looked to be game over for the men from East Hull.
However an inexplicable piece of ill-discipline from Lauaki handed the Robins one last chance, after he followed up Horne's kick into the corner and picked up Shaun Briscoe, turning him upside down.
That allowed the Red and Whites back into the home side's half, and Dobson launched a towering bomb, which was allowed to bounce by Tansey. Murrell recovered the ball before flicking it up to Watts, who fed Ben Fisher.
The hooker launched a long ball out to Newton, who moved it wide and gave Fox a chance at the corner. However video replays showed that the England winger was just unable to hold off the attentions of Tom Briscoe and keep his feet in the field of play long enough to touch down.
That was the Robins' final chance, and they were left to rue their missed opportunities as the final hooter sounded.
Full-Time: Hull FC 20 Hull KR 16
Hull KR: 1. Shaun Briscoe; 2. Peter Fox, 32. Josh Charnley, 28. Ben Cockayne, 29. Sam Latus; 9. Scott Murrell, 7. Michael Dobson; 10. Scott Wheeldon, 17. Ben Fisher, 30. Joel Clinton; 11. Clint Newton, 13. Ben Galea, 22. Liam Watts.
Replacements: 14. Matt Cook, 16. Jason Netherton, 21. Josh Hodgson, 8. Rhys Lovegrove.
Hull FC: 21. Richard Whiting; 2. Mark Calderwood, 19. Jordan Turner, 4. Kirk Yeaman, 3. Tom Briscoe; 1. Jordan Tansey, 6. Richard Horne; 8. Ewan Dowes, 20. Danny Houghton, 11. Lee Radford; 16. Willie Manu, 12. Danny Tickle, 14. Danny Washbrook.
Replacements: 17. Peter Cusack, 15. Epalahame Lauaki, 23. Sam Moa, 9. Shaun Berrigan.
Referee: Mr P. Bentham Attendance: 20,079
