Rovers secure Saints double

Hull KR completed the double over engage Super League leaders St Helens with a 26-10 victory at Craven Park on Sunday.

Rovers, who won 20-19 at Knowsley Road back in February, scored three times in the first 13 minutes of the second half to once again leave Saints stunned.

Jake Webster grabbed the first and Daniel Fitzhenry pounced for two tries in quick succession to turn the game decisively in favour of the hosts.

The opening 40 minutes had been pulsating, with non-stop end-to-end action, as referee Steve Ganson let the match flow, but Rovers' 6-4 lead at the break indicated there was little to choose between the teams.

St Helens made several uncharacteristic errors early on but Rovers showed traces of nerves too.

Tremendous tackle

Webster sustained a head injury after 14 minutes when he halted St Helens' Matt Gidley with a tremendous tackle, while James Roby and Leon Pryce kept the home side on the back foot with a couple of 40-20s.

Saints took a 21st-minute lead when Roby's short ball sent in James Graham, however Jamie Ellis was off target with the conversion.

As half-time approached Hull KR stepped up their performance and a mistake from Pryce after 39 minutes led to Kris Welham snapping up the ball and racing 35 metres to score, with Michael Dobson converting.

That meant the hosts were ahead narrowly at the break, and they began the second half in fine style, trapping Paul Wellens behind his own line for a drop out and from the play which followed Webster went over in the corner for an unconverted try.

Three minutes later Ben Cockayne blasted his way down the middle before sending in Fitzhenry, with Dobson adding the extras.

Disallowed try

Dobson had a score disallowed on 50 minutes when he knocked on, however Fitzhenry added to Saints' discomfort with his second try on 53 minutes, Dobson again converting.

Liam Colbon went over for Rovers on 61 minutes but his effort was chalked off for a forward pass.

With seven minutes to go Dobson was just off the mark with a drop-goal attempt.

Rovers' joy was complete when Peter Fox went over in the left corner with three minutes left and it hardly mattered that Dobson fluffed his conversion attempt.

Saints snatched an inconsequential try in the last minute when Ade Gardner went over in the corner and Ellis converted.