Hull KR 6-54 Warrington: Blake Austin sparks nine-try romp for Wolves
Tom Lineham and Joe Philbin both score two tries in emphatic away win
Last Updated: 22/04/19 5:49pm
Warrington bounced back to winning ways and kept hold of second place in the Super League with a 54-6 humbling of Hull KR.
The Wolves ended a run of back-to-back defeats with an easy nine-try victory at KCOM Craven Park.
The Robins' fifth loss in six came on the back of their record derby defeat to Hull and gives coach Tim Sheens plenty to think about.
Tom Lineham and Joe Philbin grabbed a brace and Stefan Ratchford landed nine successive conversions to finish with a 18-point haul.
Hull KR made a number of changes after their disappointing derby defeat on Good Friday with Will Dagger, Junior Vaivai, Chris Atkin, Harry Bardle and Adam Rooks coming in to replace Danny McGuire, Shaun Lunt, Lee Jewitt, Mitch Garbutt and Will Oakes.
Warrington also rotated their squad with the two-day turnaround after they were upset 36-12 by Salford.
In came Toby King, Sitaleki Akauola and Lama Tasi with Mike Cooper, Ben Currie and Ben Westwood sitting out. The home side started brightly and should have taken the lead on five minutes when Dagger sliced through the defence from halfway.
But a desperate tackle from Charnley knocked the ball loose barely centimetres from the line. Four minutes later the Robins did go in front after brilliant work from Josh Drinkwater. The half-back dummied across the defence and created space for Ben Crooks to touch down.
But the lead did not last long as in the 16th minute Blake Austin barged through some weak tackles to cross under the posts. Ratchford's conversion levelled it up again.
Hull KR had another try stolen from their grasp after Craig Hall intercepted an Austin pass and raced away 80 metres downfield. With the try line only a metre away the winger was hauled down by Daryl Clark, brilliantly saving another four-pointer.
It proved crucial as the Wolves went down the other end and Lineham dived over in the corner. Ratchford nailed his conversion from out wide to put the visitors 12-6 ahead. Right before half-time Philbin crossed, after a Declan Patton grubber kick, to increase their lead.
Ratchford's third conversion in a row put them in the driver's seat at the interval. In the second half Warrington wasted little time in putting the match to bed.
Less than a minute in Austin set up Charnley for the visitor's fourth try of the afternoon, which Ratchford duly converted. The Wolves were cruising and five minutes Bryson Goodwin brushed past some soft defence to touch down.
Ratchford made no mistake from right in front to take the score to 30-6. Hull KR fought to get back into the contest but the visitors' defence was up to the task.
And it was Philbin again who ended any slim hopes of a fightback when he dived over on 64 minutes. Ratchford's kick was on target again to take it 36-6.
There was still time for Toby King and Lineham to cross again, and Akauola to touch down, to complete the rout.