Hull KR 10- 40 Harlequins
Harlequins comfortably beat a poor Hull KR side to close the gap to only one point between both sides in the engage Super League table.
Hull KR have now succumbed to their third straight loss after a strong start to the season.
Injuries and the England call-ups for Peter Fox and Shaun Briscoe had severely depleted Hull KR, and Harlequins always looked in command of the game from the beginning.
Dominating from the off, Quins secured good field position with their strong forward pack and good kicking game. Hull KR could not match the physical presence or the completion rate of the London side.
This dominance led to a deserved early lead. After a charge down and a repeat set, Harlequins had good field position. A clever grubber kick by Matt Gafa allowed Chad Randall to chase through and score an easy try.
A few minutes later yet another goal line drop out was forced and the ensuing set of six led to Harlequins being ten points up in as many minutes. Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook crashed over from a few yards out off a flat ball from the impressive Randall. Danny Orr increased the lead to twelve points with a penalty not long after as Hull KR’s conceded consecutive penalties.
After James Haynes had bombed a certain try for Hull KR, Will Sharp scored in the corner as Harlequins took a shock 18-0 lead. Howell had come close, but Randall put Quins over in the following play-the-ball supplying Sharp to burrow his way into the corner from close range.
Hull KR recovered before the break as they began to get into their flow. Paul Cooke broke through down the flank and the supporting Daniel Fitzhenry nearly scored, denied by some scrambling defence. They did not have to wait much longer, however, as a couple of minutes later Stanley Gene’s solo effort down the left flank pulled the deficit back to twelve points.
Harlequins stopped any potential comeback with a try just before half time. A break by Chris Melling put them into good field position. On the following tackle Luke Gale chipped into the corner where Howell leapt over Haynes to score.
After half-time Hull KR began to build some pressure. It was Harlequins turn to lose their discipline, as three consecutive penalties and a goal line drop out gave Hull KR good possession. Scott Wheeldon received a flat ball from Michael Dobson as he crashed over the full back Jon Wells to again reduce the deficit.
But the game was effectively sewn up by Sharp’s second try, Luke Williamson the supplier with a quick pass for Quins fifth try of the game.
And they looked comfortable for the remaining half hour as the game ended scrappily. The game concluded with two further Harlequins scores.
Firstly, Melling broke up the middle to score a deserved try from the half-way line after Wells had returned the ball impressively from full back.
Just before the hooter Howell grabbed his second try of the game as Randall recovered Dobson’s kick and put the flying winger over as he raced under the posts.