Round eighteen saw the battle of the wooden spoon as Wakefield Trinity hosted Hull KR for a Sunday afternoon kick off. Both sides have a twenty percent win record with Wakefield currently bottom by virtue of KR having a better points difference.

Wakefield grabbed a crucial win over the Huddersfield Giants last time out while Hull KR lost to the Castleford Tigers, both clubs having had just two days to recover from their exploits. A win for either side would see them in tenth place in the table, Salford Red Devils were too far ahead for either side to make much of an impression on ninth spot.

Wakefield were first on the board after fourteen with a Tony Gigot one-two with Matty Ashurst to go over under the sticks to give Ryan Hampshire a simple conversion for a 6-0 lead.

Two minutes later Reece Lyne was in for the second for Trinity after some shoddy KR defence fell off Tupou and Johnstone allowing them to offload to the centre to score. Hampshire added a conversion from wide for 12-0.

Lyne got his second of the game on twenty-three as he fended off the tackle to power over as Trinity took full advantage of a lacklustre defence. Hampshire was unable to add the conversion, but it was all too easy for the West Yorkshire side.

Ben Jones-Bishop made it four for Trinity was he went over on the overlap, the KR defensive line failing to slide as they tried to defend a goal line drop out. Hampshire was again unable to add the extras but at 20-0 it looked like it wouldn’t be an issue.

Ellis threw an intercept to Johnstone as KR turned attack into defence. Lyne took the pass from Johnstone and then supplied the ball to Jones-Bishop to go in for his second. Hampshire added the conversion, a totally dominant Trinity were 24-0 ahead at the break.

Hull KR started the second half much more brightly, Jordan Abdull completing a move that he had started taking a Ben Crooks pass to evade the defenders and get over the line. Jamie Ellis added the conversion but there was still a mountain to climb.

It was brief respite as it took just three minutes for Jones-Bishop to take advantage of a Shaun Kenny-Dowall dropped ball as Lyne put in the pass to his winger to exploit the overlap for his hat-trick try. Hampshire missed the conversion from wide.

It was a second half of tit-for-tat, Ellis replying again for KR as he collected his own kick through to brush off the last tackler and go over. He added the conversion to his own try for 12-30.

A fantastic try from winger Ben Crooks, flying over in the corner, reduced the arrears even further for KR. Ellis added the touchline conversion, drifting it in from the wing to bring his side within two converted tries of Trinity.

Adam Tangata collected a loose ball to go in for a scrappy try, KR not contesting the ball on the floor as they all waited for the referee’s whistle. Hampshire was accurate with the boot for 36-18.

Kelepi Tanginoa carried the ball down the wing and into the KR goal area and rather than touch down he passed to the supporting Hampshire to dot down under the posts. Hampshire added the conversion with five minutes remaining and bring up the forty.

Eddie Battye took a pass to score under the uprights after he took a pass from Hampshire to again score under the posts. Hampshire added the extras to give Trinity a thirty-point lead.

A brief Robins fightback at the start the second half gave the final score line some respectability but that simply masked the Trinity dominance which re-emerged in the latter stages of the game. Wakefield have lifted themselves off the bottom of the table thanks to back to back wins and will hope that they can now maintain that until the end of the season. Hull KR were very disappointing again and will be looking forward to welcoming the end of the season.

Wakefield Trinity: Jowitt, Johnstone, Tupou, Lyne (2T), Jones-Bishop (3T), Hampshire (T, 4G), Gigot (T), Fifita, Crowther, Arona, Ashurst, Batchelor, Walker B. Subs: Wood K, Tanginoa (T), Tangata (T), Battye (T).

Hull KR: Tate, Crooks (T), Kenny-Dowall, Livett, Dagger, Abdull (T), Ellis (T, 3G), Murray, Minchella, King, Gee, Peteru, Mulhern. Subs: Hadley, Trout, Lewis, Maher.

Referee: Scott Mikalauskas.

Half Time: 24-0.

Full Time:  48-18.

Venue: Mobile Rocket Stadium, Wakefield.