St Helens 38-12 Hull KR: Saints one win away from securing top spot
St Helens moved within one win of claiming the League Leaders Shield after a comfortable victory over Hull KR at the Totally Wicked Stadium.
There are three games of the regular season to go, with Saints facing Wigan, Wakefield and Toulouse. They only need to win one of those to secure top spot.
Meanwhile, Hull KR suffer back-to-back defeats, and their play-off hopes are now all but over, after Leeds also won.
Saints made just one change from the side that thrashed Hull FC last Sunday. Jack Welsby made his return to the side, with Sione Mata’utia dropping out after picking up a foot injury.
Hull KR made six changes to the side that was beaten by Leeds last Friday. Ethan Ryan, Ben Crooks, Sam Wood, Shaun Kenny-Dowall, Matt Parcell and Greg Richards all came out of the side. Meanwhile, there was a debut for Connor Barley on the wing. Also coming in were Lachlan Coote, Mikey Lewis, Rowan Milnes, Albert Vete and Zach Fishwick.
Match Report
The first points of the game came from the boot of Tommy Makinson. He slotted a penalty through the posts, after Hull KR were caught offside.
Just before the 10-minute mark, the hosts scored the first try of the night. Jack Welsby threw a cutout pass to Makinson, who was able to run over in space in the corner. Makinson was then able to convert his own try from the touchline.
St Helens were able to increase their lead just past the halfway point of the first half. They got the ball back after a short dropout from Hull KR failed, and from the resulting field position, they found Makinson in space again on the right-hand side for his second try. However, Makinson could not convert from the touchline this time.
The hosts were averaging a try every 10 minutes, and continued that trend past the half-hour. Jon Bennison got free down the left-hand side, and passed inside to the supporting Jack Welsby to score. Makinson was back on target with his conversion.
Makinson added his second penalty of the night soon after, as Lachlan Coote’s goal-line drop-out went out on the full.
HT- St Helens 20-0 Hull KR
St Helens continued where they left off after the break, grabbing their fourth try four minutes into the second half. Joey Lussick, on as a half-time interchange for Will Hopoate, went for the line out of dummy half, and managed to find the floor to score. Makinson added the conversion- his fifth goal of the night.
Hull KR would get something to show for their efforts just before the hour mark. They got free through the middle, and Albert Vete got the ball out to Kane Linnett, who managed to get the ball down. Lachlan Coote’s conversion attempt went across the face of the goal.
But just three minutes, the champions extended their advantage. They worked the ball well again, and this time it was Jon Bennison who scored in the corner. Makinson maintained his good record with the boot.
The Robins were then gifted a way back into it almost straight away. They fumbled the short kick-off, which gave the Robins field position, Makinson then got to the resulting kick close to his own line, but his offload went straight to Will Tate, who took advantage. Coote still could not add the conversion.
The visitors grabbed their third try just a few minutes later. They worked it well after a Jez Litten kick, and Connor Barley went over in the corner to mark his debut with a try. Coote was again off-target with the conversion.
But the final word would go to the Saints. Jonny Lomax was able to play Ben Davies into a gap, and he went over unopposed. Makinson added his seventh goal to complete the scoring.
FT- St Helens 38-12 Hull KR
Team News
St Helens: Hopoate, Makinson, Hurrell, Davies, Bennison, Welsby, Lomax, Walmsley, Roby, Lees, Bell, Batchelor, Wingfield. Subs: Lussick, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Paasi, Royle.
Tries: Makinson 2, Welsby, Lussick, Bennison, Davies
Goals: Makinson 7/8
Hull KR: Coote, Barley, Tate, Keinhorst, Hall, Lewis, Milnes, Storton, Litten, King, Halton, Linnett, Minchella. Subs: Vete, Maher, Laulu-Togag’e, Fishwick.
Tries: Linnett, Tate, Barley
Goals: Coote 0/3
READ MORE: St Helens confirm minor injury to Sione Mata’utia
