Super League: Hull KR end difficult week with win over St Helens
Last Updated: 06/07/14 8:01pm
Hull KR gave caretaker coach Chris Chester the perfect start to his new role with an impressive 40-10 victory over Super League leaders St Helens.
Omari Caro and Craig Hall both claimed hat-tricks as the Robins ended a rather tumultous week on a high, with Saints comfortably second best at the KC Lightstream Stadium.
Rovers parted ways with coach Craig Sandercock on Thursday, the Australian's exit being sandwiched by the departures of playing duo Wayne Ulugia and Jonny Walker.
However Chester managed to get the Robins focused on playing matters, the victory boosting their hopes of making the playoffs as they now sit just a point behind eighth-placed Widnes.
Caro opened the scoring in the sixth minute when he was in the right place at the right time to pounce on a loose ball, kick it forward and juggle it before sprinting clear to score.
Saints, without a win at Rovers since 2007, drew level in the 10th minute when Mark Percival capitalised on a defensive lapse on Rovers' right-hand side to score from 40 metres out.
Dominating
Yet Rovers were dominating and made their territory and possession count when they moved back in front in the 25th minute. Burns escaped the clutches of two Saints defenders to break clear and offload to the supporting Josh Hodgson, who spun a pass outside for Caro to score his second of the game.
Burns missed his second conversion of the game but was successful with his third after Hall, who announced on Friday he would be joining Wakefield next season, scooped up a loose ball 45 metres out.
Saints cut the gap before the break when Mose Masoe powered his way over, Percival making no mistake from close to the posts with the conversion to make it 14-10.
That, though, would prove to be the last time the visitors would post points.
Graeme Horne took on the Saints line down the blindside to score a 60-metre try before Caro - who has also played this year for Championship One side Gateshead, completed his treble.
Victory was secured when Hall managed two more tries in as many minutes, the second of them brilliantly set up by the impressive Greg Eden, who kicked through for his team-mate to finish.
Eden himself completed an outstanding afternoon for Chester and his Rovers when he touched down four minutes from time, Burns landing the conversion to round out the scoring.