Monday 2 September 2019 13:49, UK
Ryan Shaw's 20-point haul helped relegation-threatened Hull KR secure a crucial 24-6 win at Catalans Dragons.
Shaw's try double helped Rovers into a 10-0 lead, but the Dragons hit back through David Mead before Danny McGuire's converted score put the visitors in command at half time.
Four penalties from Rovers' goal-kicking winger after the break kept the scoreboard ticking over in their favour though and proved enough to secure a valuable two points.
It was Hull KR's first win away to the French side for eight years, ending the Dragons' lingering play-off hopes in the process as well.
Missing experienced regulars Mitch Garbett, Craig Hall and Adam Quinlan, Rovers responded with a vintage display from veteran half-back McGuire.
McGuire was on fire alongside former Catalans ace Josh Drinkwater as Rovers took the game to the Dragons from start to finish. There was to be no happy ending for Greg Bird on his last match in front of home fans before retirement, though.
Rovers were first on the board after 13 minutes when Bird was penalised for dissent and, from the penalty kick, Weller Hauraki found space for Shaw to cross in the left corner although the winger could not convert from wide.
The same combination produced the same result seven minutes later when Hauraki easily slipped the ball through the Catalans line to Shaw who found the mark this time and converted to put Rovers 10 points ahead.
Giant Dragons prop Sam Kasiano kept the pressure on Rovers but indiscipline, errors and poor handling from his team-mates continually undid all the good work by the home team.
A succession of promising breaks collapsed at the final moment through sloppy handling and lack of co-ordination.
Rovers were not helping themselves either, conceding a series of penalties leading to captain Joel Tomkins speaking at length to referee Ben Thaler.
The Dragons kept pressing and Samisoni Langi went close then Bird was held up over the line.
The breakthrough came in the 28th minute when Tony Gigot found David Mead with a kick over the defence and the full-back strode over the line. Gigot added the conversion to make it 10-6.
But back came battling Rovers and 36-year-old McGuire rolled back the years with a vintage piece of slick handling involving Mose Masoe and Drinkwater, whose clever pass from the floor went back to McGuire, who then slid in three minutes from the break.
Shaw made it 18-6 with a penalty after Jason Baitieri went high on Jimmy Keinhorst and some smart work saw Gigot cross between the posts, but the referee and video assistant disallowed the try.
Then the officials combined to disallow a 60-yard interception try by Keinhorst from a loose pass by Gigot so it was left to the sharpshooting boots of Shaw to finish the scoring.
He converted another shot at goal in the 62nd minute as the penalty count climbed against the Dragons and Rovers took control.
Antoni Maria took too long in a tackle on Drinkwater and Shaw added two more points from in front of the posts.
The Dragons tried to hit back with a break by Bird which ended up with Arthur Romano tossed into touch and a sweeping move to the left saw Lucas Albert passing the ball into touch over the head of winger Lewis Tierney.
But a fourth penalty in a row for Shaw put the seal on the win.
