The promise from Hull KR was that this would be a history
making afternoon for the visitors as they travelled to Wakefield with a chance
to clinch the minor premiership for the first time in the summer era and finishing
top of the pile for the first time since the 1984-85 season.
But Daryl Powell’s Trinity were intent on spoiling the party
as they needed the points to continue their push for a top six finish in their
first season after promotion and they knew that a win, along with a loss for
Hull FC against the Warrington Wolves, would see them attain their objective.
Wakefield were given a respectful eight-point start on the coupon
and based on a five-place gap between the sides on the league ladder they
thought that it would be a close game.
It was a stunning start for the home side who took the lead
with just three and a half minutes on the clock a Mason Lino high kick bounced
off a Hull KR defender into the willing hands of Jake Trueman to sprint over
from ten metres. Max Jowitt added the conversion for a 6-0 lead, the perfect
start delighting the home faithful.
Wakefield added a penalty kick from the boot of Jowitt on
eight, a point a minute.
On eighteen a moment of genius from Lino saw Wakefield in
for their second, he dropped both shoulders, both Hull KR markers gave up, and
the half back went through a gap to score by the uprights. Jowitt hit the mark
again for 14-0. The home fans were starting to believe.
The afternoon just kept getting better for Wakefield. On
twenty-seven Mikey Lewis ran out of the line looking for an intercept but
knocked the ball into the path of Jowitt who collected and scored. Jowitt added
the conversion to his own try for 20-0.
Two minutes from the interval Jowitt again broke the Hull KR
line before finding Cameron Scott in space outside him with a canter to the
line for the third try of the afternoon. Jowitt hit the target again and
Wakefield took an astonishing 26-0 lead into the break, and well worth their
lead.
With three minutes on the second half clock Sam Luckley and
James Batchelor combined to put Arthur Mourgue through a gap to run in by the sticks
for the Robins first try of the evening. Mourgue was on target with the
conversion, a better start for the visitors.
Spending a little too long in the tackle, KR conceded another
penalty on sixty-two, Jowitt kicking the goal for 28-6.
It was too little and too late but on sixty-nine Oliver
Gildart won the race to ground a grubber kick in the left corner. Mourgue was
deadly accurate from the touchline for 12-28.
But time was too short, Wakefield had played too well, and
Hull KR got the shock of their lives.
This was a stunning and unsuspected win which pushes Hull KR’s
claim to the minor premiership into the last weekend of the regular season but
also puts Wakefield Trinity in the box seat in their quest for the top six and
a play off game, most likely away at Leigh Leopards. It will be a wake-up call for
the Robins and a reminder that they will need to be on the top of their game to
make it to Old Trafford and their dream of lifting the Super League Trophy on
early October.
Wakefield Trinity: Jowitt (T, G 6/6), Myers, Scott (T),
Pratt, Johnstone, Trueman (T), Lino (T), McMeeken, Hood, Faatili, Storton,
Nikotemo, Pitts. Subs: Atoni, Rodwell,
Smith, Griffin. 18th Man: Cozza.
Hull KR: Mourgue (T, G 2/2), Davies, Hiku, Gildart (T),
Broadbent, Lewis, May, Whitbread, Litten, Warea-Hargreaves, Hadley, Batchelor,
Minchella. Subs: Luckley, Brown, Doro, Leyland. 18th Man: Booth.
Half-Time: 26-0.
Full-Time: 28-12.
Score Progression: 4-0, 6-0, 8-0, 12-0, 14-0, 18-0, 20-0, 24-0,
26-0 : HT: 26-4, 26-6, 28-6, 28-10, 28-12 :FT.
Lead Exchanges: Wakefield.
Referee: Chris Kendall.
