The Robins scored nine tries to claim their sixth straight win in all competitions
Tom Davies of Hull KR scoring a try against Castleford Tigers
Hull KR thumped a dismal Castleford Tigers side 50-6 to claim their sixth win in a row and move to within just two points of the Super League summit.
The Robins scored nine tries on the night at Craven Park with Tom Davies scoring a hat-trick and Karl Lawton getting a first half brace. Tom Amone, Dean Hadley, Mikey Lewis and Joe Burgess also touched down for KR, who steam roll into next week’s Challenge Cup semi-final with Warrington Wolves on the back of some scintillating form.
There’s six more games yet to play in round 10, but the win over Castleford was enough to power KR up to third in the table, with memories of that tricky start to the season now a distant memory.
Picking up from where they left off last Saturday at Odsal, Rovers were in an unforgiving mood from the off in east Hull.
Hadley missed the chance to open the scoring early as the Tigers held firm to prevent the middle from touching down under the posts. But, the visitors were powerless just two minutes later when Lawton, in the starting XII after overcoming a minor injury, scooted around the ruck and over.
Castleford struggled to string a set together with a series of mistakes ensuring they failed to get out of their own half. And, when Renouf Atoni spilled the ball 40m out, KR made the Tigers pay.
Attacking with pace and precision, Rovers worked their way through the middle of the field before Lawton touched down for a second, scooting with no one at home for the Tigers.
A woeful error from Phoenix Laulu-Togaga’e, spilling the ball in contact 5m out, presented Tom Amone with the opportunity to score the easiest try he’s ever likely to score.
As Castleford heads dropped, KR ran riot. Tom Davies scored their fourth, spinning around the challenge of Jason Qareqare with alarming ease. And, after missing out early on, Hadley got himself on the scoresheet, getting on the end of Minchella’s deft dab through the line.
There was just enough time for an acrobatic second for Tom Davies, diving over on the hooter.
Rovers weren’t flawless in the first half, but they didn’t have to be and that’s a theme that continued after the break as KR scored their seventh of the night through a woeful Darnell McIntosh error. Spilling the ball inside his in-goal area, the former Hull FC man could only watch on as Mikey Lewis touched it down.
To their credit, Castleford rallied a little after that try and as KR’s intensity slipped, the Tigers found some decent field position. They huffed and puffed but Rovers scrambled well, closed gaps and held firm to deny their visitors.
A Jordan Lane knock on eased the pressure, though, and Rovers made them pay again, this time through Joe Burgess. And, Davies wrapped things up for KR late by completing his hat-trick.
There would be no zero for KR, though, with Krystian Mapapalangi scoring with the last touch of the game.