A dramatic fixture at Wakefield Trinity that had just about everything.
Wakefield’s Mason Lino scores a late winner against Hull KR.
Head coach Willie Peters said his Hull KR side needed a tough test immediately after their Wembley disappointment, and his players responded with plenty of character but fell short 26-24 in a dramatic contest at the DIY Kitchens Stadium.
The Round 13 fixture featured two red cards, two sin-bins and plenty of controversy, but it was Mason Lino that scored the match-winner with two minutes left on the clock to turn the game.
Mikey Lewis, Jai Whitbread, Sam Luckley and Tyrone May all crossed for Hull KR, who looked on course to secure victory after May’s late second-half score put them ahead in a game that eventually finished 12 against 12.
Instead, Rovers were left with more heartbreak just a week after their Challenge Cup hammering at Wembley.
Wakefield opened the scoring after 16 minutes when Lino fired a cut-out pass wide to Oliver Pratt, who crossed for an early 6-0 lead.
However, the Wakefield playmaker was at the centre of a double sin-bin just minutes later. He was shown a yellow card for a high forearm on Joe Burgess deep inside Rovers’ half, while the prolific winger was also sent to the sidelines for his reaction during the ensuing melee.
Playing 12 against 12, it was the visitors who capitalised. Lewis spotted a gap and sliced through Wakefield’s defence to score, although the try left a sour taste among the home supporters. Moments earlier, Wakefield had been penalised in controversial circumstances after Peta Hiku was pushed into touch by four defenders.
The momentum quickly swung back in Wakefield’s favour as they struck with back-to-back tries. First, Josh Rourke finished a long-range effort after collecting a Caius Faatili offload, beating both Jack Broadbent and Lewis on his way to the whitewash.
Hull KR’s defence was then caught out again, with Cam Scott benefiting from a Jake Trueman kick that Rovers failed to deal with, extending Wakefield’s lead to 16-6.
Mike McMeeken burst straight through the Hull KR line moments later, but the opportunity went begging when Lino’s final pass failed to find Pratt on the wing.
It looked as though Rovers were hoping for the half-time hooter to regroup, but they produced a try from nowhere just before the break. May’s kick was brilliantly collected by Whitbread, who was celebrating the birth of his first child earlier in the week, reducing the deficit to 16-12.
Hull KR’s ill-discipline continued at the start of the second half when McMeeken was the victim of a tip tackle from the restart set. Wakefield took full advantage, with Matty Storton charging onto a short pass and beating three defenders to score against his former club, stretching the lead to 20-12.
Rovers remained in the contest thanks to an unlikely hero. Luckley was in the right place at the right time after Rourke failed to deal with a Lewis kick on the full. The ball bounced kindly for the interchange prop, who still had work to do from 15 metres out before powering over.
The game then erupted, with two red cards shown in the space of five minutes. Try-scorer Storton was first to receive his marching orders for high contact on James Batchelor, before Sauaso Sue was also dismissed for a swinging arm on Tray Lolesio.
It looked as though May’s try just after the hour mark would prove decisive, with Rovers holding a 24-20 advantage heading into the closing stages.
But Wakefield had the final word. After a penalty gave them field position, Lino pounced on a Jay Pitts offload to score with two minutes remaining before converting his own effort to seal a dramatic victory.
Wakefield Trinity: Josh Rourke, Oliver Pratt, Cam Scott, Corey Hall, Tom Johnstone, Jake Trueman, Mason Lino, Mike McMeeken, Tyson Smoothy, Ky Rodwell, Matty Storton, Isaiah Vagana, Jazz Tevaga.
Bench: Jay Pitts, Caleb Hamlin-Uele, Caius Faatili, Tray Lolesio.
Tries: Pratt (16’), Scott (31’), Rourke (34’), Storton (43’), Lino (78′)
Goals: Lino 3/5
Sin-bin: Lino
Red: Storton
Hull KR: Jack Broadbent, Tom Davies, Peta Hiku, Oliver Gildart, Joe Burgess, Mikey Lewis, Tyrone May, Sauaso Sue, Jez Litten, Tom Amone, Karl Lawton, Elliot Minchella.
Bench: Sam Luckley, Jai Whitbread, Rhyse Martin, Jordan Dezaria.
Tries: Lewis (23’), Whitbread (37’), Luckley (51’), May (63’)
Goals: Lewis 2/2, Martin 2/2
Sin-bin: Burgess
Red: Sue
Attendance: 8,608