Hull KR 4-22 Huddersfield: Giants continue unbeaten start to the season
Last Updated: 22/02/20 12:18am
Huddersfield continued their unbeaten start to the Betfred Super League season with a 22-4 victory over Hull KR at Craven Park.
The Giants coped better with the strong wind as Rovers suffered a third successive defeat against the surprise package of the early season.
The only downside for Huddersfield was an injury to James Gavet, who was carried off on a stretcher early in the second half.
Hull KR were without Jamie Ellis and Jordan Abdull and also lost George Lawler to a neck injury before the game. They gave a debut to Joe Keyes and also welcomed back Mitch Garbutt. The Giants had centre Jake Wardle returning from an eye injury.
Huddersfield claimed the lead inside four minutes as Louis Senior slid in at the left corner but Aidan Sezer's conversion attempt into the wind from wide left came back off the post.
Following a lengthy injury stoppage for Giants full-back Darnell McIntosh just short of his line, Rovers forced a goal-line dropout but were unable to make anything from the next set.
Strong defence saw Rovers push Jermaine McGillvary back over the try line and into touch as the home side battled to keep the deficit at one score.
But Rovers could do little as Lee Gaskell evaded two tackles to touch down, with a simpler kick from Sezer this time making it 10-0 to the visitors 19 minutes in.
As an error-strewn first half drew to a close the Giants were worth their lead and it took a steal on their own line from Rovers to finally get close to scoring.
Rovers got over the Giants line but Keyes was held up on the last tackle after he darted through a gap.
The home side started the second half with purpose but the game was stopped for more than 10 minutes as Gavet was carried off with his neck in a brace after being hurt in what looked like a regulation challenge.
Two offloads and a penalty on the first tackle gave Rovers good field position but a third successive attack came to nothing as their struggles continued.
The home side were punished for their failure to score as Huddersfield extended their lead 17 minutes into the second half when Paul Clough touched down with the first away attack following a series of Rovers sets.
Sezer's extras stretched it to 16-0 and there looked little chance of the home side getting back into the contest.
When Suaia Matagi forced his way over shortly after some home fans started to leave the ground as Sezer converted to make it 22-0 with 20 minutes remaining.
Rovers finally got on the scoreboard with 10 minutes to go as Ben Crooks dived over in the left corner for his sixth try of the season, but it was of little consolation for the home fans who had seen their side well beaten.
