Hull KR 26-18 Catalans Dragons: Rovers boost play-off hopes as Dragons drop from Super League summit
Jack Walker, Shaun Kenny-Dowall, Kane Linnett and Mikey Lewis were the try scorers for victorious Hull KR, with Brad Schneider scoring five times with the boot; Catalans Dragons fell off the top of Super League due to Wigan Warriors' win over Salford Red Devils
Last Updated: 01/09/23 11:46pm
Hull KR boosted their Betfred Super League play-off hopes with a hard-fought 26-18 win over Catalans Dragons at Craven Park which dented the visitors' chances of lifting the League Leaders' Shield.
Rovers followed up their win over top-four side Leigh with a victory over the Dragons, who went into the game at the top of the table, as scrum-half Brad Schneider put in an inspired display.
Catalans just edged the first half as both sides made mistakes and a penalty from Adam Keighran proved the difference.
Romain Navarrete and Benjamin Garcia were the try scorers for the visitors, with Shaun Kenny-Dowall and Kane Linnett replying.
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Keighran converted both of the Dragons' scores and Schneider did the same for the home side.
Rovers came out for the second period fired up and scored tries through Jack Walker and Mikey Lewis with Catalans gaining a solitary reply through Fouad Yaha.
Schneider converted both of his side's tries and added a penalty in a kicking display which proved decisive.
Catalans went ahead when Navarrete crossed near the posts and Keighran added the extras with a simple kick to give the visitors a 6-0 lead with six minutes gone.
But an error by the away side gave Robins a great opportunity. Great defending kept the home side at bay until a grubber kick from Lewis ran dead.
Rovers kept up the pressure and when Yaha knocked on close to his line, captain Kenny-Dowall forced his way over with Schneider's kick tying up the game with 14 minutes on the clock.
Rovers suffered a double blow midway through the first half as loose forward Elliot Minchella limped off and then a high tackle allowed Keighran the chance to kick Catalans back in front.
The Dragons stretched their lead as Garcia dived in to score his side's second try with 12 minutes of the half remaining and Keighran made it three kicks from as many attempts to make it 14-6.
Rovers reduced the arrears to two points three minutes before the break as Linnett got on the end of Schneider's grubber kick and the scrum-half kicked the conversion.
Rovers grabbed the lead from their first set of the second half as a flowing move out right saw Schneider find Walker who dummied before crossing. Schneider's conversion from out wide saw the ball hit the top of the crossbar before going over for two added points.
Tom Davies spilled a high kick from Schneider and when Catalans then presented the scrum-half with an easy penalty, he made it a six-point game seven minutes into the second period.
Catalans hit back almost straight away through Yaha's try as he cut in from the left with a little under half an hour left, but Keighran was unable to add the conversion.
Rovers were forced to concede a goal-line drop-out by some intense Catalans pressure and Julian Busquet almost crossed when stretched for the line, but he lost the ball and Rovers were able to survive.
Manu Ma'u was shown a yellow card with 19 minutes remaining for a high tackle on Tom Opacic and Rovers made the advantage tell.
Lewis exchanged passes with Rhys Kennedy before diving in and Schneider's kick put his side eight points to the good and that was enough to seal a deserved win.