Wakefield head coach Chris Chester is keen for his side to kick on after chalking up their first win of the year in the Betfred Super League. "This has got to a good benchmark for us," he said
Sunday 23 May 2021 22:51, UK
Chris Chester urged Wakefield Trinity to build on an impressive 28-12 victory over in-form Hull Kingston Rovers on Sunday.
Winger Liam Kay scored twice in the first half with Tinirau Arona and returning star Jacob Miller touching down in the second as Rovers finished with 12 men after Korbin Sims' dismissal.
It was a result which saw Wakefield finally get off the mark at the seventh time of asking in Super League this year and head coach Chester is eager to build on the victory.
"This win had been coming for the last couple of weeks," former Rovers coach Chester said. "These lads have given everything they have got.
"This is a monkey off our back and we should take a lot of confidence from it. This has got to a good benchmark for us. That was the Wakefield way: expansive and throwing the ball around.
"We have always said when we get our best players out on the field we can beat anybody on our day - and we are not far off it now.
"It has been a long time coming so I am pleased we have been able to do it in front of our fans. They were very loud and made a massive difference to us."
This has got to a good benchmark for us. That was the Wakefield way: expansive and throwing the ball around.
Australian pivot Miller returned to action after injury as did influential centre Bill Tupou.
"He is our captain, our leader and he did some really good things," Chester said of Miller. "It was touch and go whether he played but he put his hand up for the team and that's all I can ask.
"But we had a lot of busted guys. David Fifita fractured a rib against Leeds and Mason Lino (who kicked six goals) couldn't get off his bed last Wednesday because of his back."
Rovers head coach Tony Smith was naturally disappointed by the result but insisted his side would not beat themselves up about it.
"Wakefield looked like a side desperate to get off the bottom of the table and they played accordingly," Smith said.
"For us, we were below expectation and energy levels and that was as evident from the start. We were not as sharp as we were in the last couple of matches, but Wakefield beat us to the punch and beat us to the ball.
"You have days that just don't flow. There were a lot of things that didn't flow in a lot of ways. We weren't good enough to overcome that but that can happen."
On Sims' red card, Smith added: "I have had a look at it and it looks a pretty harsh call. There was a big reaction around it but that's what we get with crowds and emotions.
We were not as sharp as we were in the last couple of matches, but Wakefield beat us to the punch and beat us to the ball.
"There is not a lot falling our way, but we have got to be good enough to overcome these things."
Smith revealed Dean Hadley suffered a suspected fractured cheekbone conceding a penalty after clashing with Miller in the first half.
