Hull KR hold off Catalans Dragons to reach Challenge Cup semi-finals
Last Updated: 26/06/15 4:43pm
Hull KR withstood a Catalans Dragons comeback to win 32-26 at the KC Lightstream Stadium and book a place in the Ladbrokes Challenge Cup semi-finals.
The Robins made a dream start by romping into a 24-0 lead after 28 minutes but were forced to sweat on the outcome after the visitors eventually found their spark to cut the deficit to just 10 points.
However, prolific winger Ken Sio went over for his second try of the match and Josh Mantellato took his goal tally to six from seven attempts to book their place in Sunday’s semi-final draw, as they set their sights on adding to their solitary cup final success of 1980.
Catalans left themselves too much to do as their woeful away form continued, while Rovers made it eight home wins out of 10 in 2015.
The visitors' defence was exposed as early as the eighth minute when Sio took Kieran Dixon's pass to out-sprint Fouad Yaha for his 16th try of the season.
Catalans could not handle the offloads of prop Adam Walker, who combined with fellow front rower Tony Puletua on 16 minutes to get Dixon over for a second try, and two minutes later Mantellato out-jumped Morgan Escare to collect Maurice Blair's high kick and send scrum-half Albert Kelly over.
Coach Laurent Frayssinous was on the touchline by then, having stormed down from his seat in the stand, and he had an excellent view of the cut-out pass from substitute Shaun Lunt that released Mantellato. Second rower Graeme Horne was on his inside to finish off the move for the home side's fourth try.
Mantellato converted all four and put over a penalty on the stroke of half-time while Catalans' only response was a try six minutes before the break by winger Krisnan Inu, who touched down Elliott Whitehead's grubber kick to the corner.
The French side improved in the second half and, with the aid of a run of penalties, scored two tries in six minutes to give themselves a lifeline.
Zeb Taia forced his way over from a tapped penalty and Inu grabbed his second following a superb break and precision kick from Tony Gigot.
Scott Dureau added one of the conversions as the visitors cut the deficit to 26-14.
When the impressive Liam Salter created a second try for Sio on 63 minutes, the danger looked to have been averted, but the battling Catalans struck back twice more.
Hooker Ian Henderson and Whitehead went over for tries, with Dureau kicking his second goal, but the Dragons were unable to muster a late equaliser as Hull KR held on.