Hull KR 30-16 Les Catalans

Hull KR kept alive their slim play-off hopes on Friday night, with a gutsy 30-16 win over third-placed Les Catalans at Craven Park.nnThe victory for Rovers, only their second in eight games, completes an unlikely double over the French outfit, after their 24-20 success in the south of France back in March.nnMeanwhile, Les Catalans must now accept a third-placed finish, having trailed St Helens and Leeds by just a point a couple of weeks back.nnIt took a whole 20 minutes for the scoreboard to change, when loose-forward Gregory Mounis grabbed the opening try of the game. A quick break upfield by second-rower Sebastien Raguin gave the visitors good momentum. After probing build-up play, a quick pass from Aaron Gorrell put Mounis in just next to the posts. Thomas Bosc added a simple conversion to give the visitors a 6-0 lead.nnThe game then hit a standstill when Rovers second-rower Chris Chester was left unconscious on the floor. Following lengthy medical attention, Chester was eventually stretchered off the field having been laid out for a good five minutes. He was taken immediately to hospital with a suspected neck injury.nnFive minutes after play restarting, Rovers pulled themselves level. A Michael Dobson grubber kick was punted forward with expert control by young centre Kris Welham, who patted the ball down with consumate ease. Dobson converted the try he had created to tie the score up at 6-6.nnLes Catalans dubiously regained the lead on 35 minutes through Moroccan wingman Younes Khattabi. Lightning-quick passing and movement on the end of a scrum put Khattabi in space in the corner, who barged through three Rovers tacklers.nn’Benefit of the doubt’ was awarded to the visitors by the video referee, after it appeared Khattabi had just touched the ball down. Bosc’s touchline conversion attempt sailed just onto the near post, giving the Perpignan outfit a narrow four-point lead with four minutes of the half left.nnMick Potter’s men couldn’t hold the lead until the break, though, as Rovers hit the front right on the stroke of half-time through stand-off Chaz I’Anson.nnExplosive prop Stanley Gene broke through the Catalans defence before offloading to I’Anson, who powered through two tacklers to dive over under the posts. Dobson added the extras to give Rovers a precious 12-10 interval advantage.nnSix minutes into the second half, the home side grabbed an eight-point cushion through Scottish hooker Ben Fisher. Quick passing earned the momentum, second-rower Jason Netherton offloaded superbly to Fisher, who dived under the sticks for the try. Dobson landed the simple conversion to make it 18-10.nnFull-back Ben Cockayne then grabbed another crucial score just before the hour mark, with a controversial try just next to the posts. After clever build-up play, Cockayne appeared to have been halted just shy of the whitewash, but extended his arm just enough to touch down.nnIt looked a certain double-movement, but the video referee adjudged momentum to have taken Cockayne over the line, so the try stood, before Dobson’s conversion extended Rovers’ lead to 24-10.nnWithin minutes Michael Vella grabbed the killer try, crashing over after Rovers had cleverly exploited a gap in the Catalans defence. Dobson kicked his fifth conversion from five to make it 30-10.nnLes Catalans did manage a consolation try through French winger Vincent Duport. Bosc marvellously kicked the conversion from right on the touchline to bring the score to 30-16, but Rovers held on to earn two priceless Super League points.nnHull KR – 30nnT: Welham (27); I’Anson (40); Fisher (46); Cockayne (56); Vella (61)nG: Dobson (28, 40, 47, 57, 62)nnLes Catalans – 16nnT: Mounis (20); Khattabi (35); Duport (65)nG: Bosc (21, 66)nnHT: 12-10nnRef: I SmithnnAtt: 8,074