Leigh Leopards hosted Hull KR in a Super League clash with massive play-off implications as the two teams with the best form over the past ten rounds did battle but it was the Robins who came out on top as they won 24-0.
Whilst it was a tense first 20 minutes, Hull KR took control and dominated once the deadlock was broken with Mikey Lewis putting in another Man of the Match performance as the Robins showed exactly why they’re one of the favourites for the Grand Final.
After Hull KR’s loss to Wigan last week, it meant that Leigh Leopards entered the game as the form team in Super League with just one loss in their last ten games. As for the Robins, they’d won eight straight before last week’s defeat.
The Leopards were without Edwin Ipape but the rest of the team was fit, as highlighted by the fact that Zak Hardaker did not even make the 18-man matchday squad.
As for Hull KR, they were boosted by the return of Niall Evalds at full-back meaning that Jack Broadbent dropped out of the squad. Sauaso Sue overcame a wrist injury to start. Dean Hadley moved to prop with Jai Whitbread suspended.
Hull KR bounce back after Wigan defeat
Credit: Olly Hassell/SWpix.com
After the firework smoke dissipated the game got underway to an electric start with each side trading blows early on. That went on for the opening 20 minutes in somewhat of a chess match but Ryan Hall scored Super League try 254 to open the scoring.
A Mikey Lewis bomb saw Tyrone May challenge Matt Moylan and knock the ball back with the veteran winger scooping the ball up to run in unchallenged from ten metres out and make it 4-0.
The game would then take a turn when Niall Evalds suffered a HIA and had to leave the field. Mikey Lewis had to shift to full-back but it made no change to the Hull KR attack as he bombed up another kick that Matt Moylan struggled with. Lewis would recollect it and power over to make it 10-0.
Hull KR started off the second half on the front foot and it took them just ten minutes to add a third try and it came from in-form prop Sauaso Sue who who crashed over off under the sticks to help make it 16-0.
Just minutes later Sauaso Sue put in a huge hit and managed to hurt himself, something that will cause major fears for Willie Peters and Hull KR. Something else that would strike fear into Peters would be Ryan Hall making cross-field kicks but that’s what happened on the next set leading to a Leigh attack, but the Robins stayed strong in defence.
On the hour mark, Hull KR put the game out of reach as Mikey Lewis crashed over after the Robins kept the ball alive on the fifth play. The Robins looked to have scored another quickly after when Matt Moylan dropped another bomb but he was adjudged to have been taken high by Elliot Minchella who was shown a yellow card.
KR were awarded a penalty off the back of that play due to an earlier foul and Lewis took the opportunity to add two points and make it 24-0 and march on towards the play-offs in strong form.
Man of the Match
Credit: Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com
Tyrone May was the man who challenged Matt Moylan in the air to force the first two tries but he was chasing down brilliant Mikey Lewis kicks on both occasions. The Hull KR number seven kicked the Leopards to death meaning they constantly controlled the territory. He also added another two tries to his Super League tally to take him to 19 this season.
Leigh Leopards player ratings
Matt Moylan 3, Josh Charnley 5, Ricky Leutele 5, Umyla Hanley 6, Darnell McIntosh 5, Gaz O’Brien 5, Lachlan Lam 5, Tom Amone 7, Matt Davis 5, Robbie Mulhern 6, Kai O’Donnell 6, Frankie Halton 4, John Asiata 5
Interchanges: Owen Trout 5, Aaron Pene 4, Jack Hughes 5, Brad Dwyer 6
Hull KR player ratings
Niall Evalds 6, Joe Burgess 7, Peta Hiku 6, Oliver Gildart 6, Ryan Hall 6, Tyrone May 8, Mikey Lewis 9, Sauaso Sue 8, Matt Parcell 8, Dean Hadley 8, Matty Storton 7, James Batchelor 7, Elliot Minchella 7
Interchanges: Tom Opacic 6, Jez Litten 7, Sam Luckley 6, Jack Brown 5
