Hull KR 40-4 Salford: Robins run in seven tries to ease past Red Devils

Correspondent

Brad Takairangi (left) and Shaun Kenny-Dowall (right) of Hull KR

Hull KR recorded their fifth Betfred Super League win of the season with a dominant 40-4 victory over struggling Salford at Craven Park.

Tony Smith’s side showed their growing pedigree at the right end of the table against opponents who are one place off the bottom.

It was an error-strewn display by Richard Marshall’s side who were punished by a clinical Rovers side who outscored their opponents by seven tries to one.

Salford took an early lead through Ken Sio’s try but the first half turned on the sin-binning of Chris Atkin and Rovers took full advantage to score 16 unanswered points before the break.

Rovers’ tries came from George Lawler, Ben Crooks and Brad Takairangi, with Jordan Abdull adding two conversions.

The home side’s Adam Quinlan was sin-binned in the second half but they did not lose their momentum as man of the match Shaun Kenny-Dowall claimed their fourth try.

Matt Parcell claimed a fifth and then Ryan Hall intercepted before shaking off a tackler and racing to the line for try number six.

Kane Linnett added another try as an outrageous dummy gave him a clear run to the line. To add insult to injury Pauli Pauli was shown an injury-time red card for a shoulder barge on Jordan Abdull.

Abdull had earlier kicked a penalty and two more conversions, with Rowan Milnes getting the final conversion as the home side recorded a dominant win.

There were early mistakes from both sides and Salford made the home team pay as they scored the first try, Sio beating Ryan Hall to a kick along the ground from Tui Lolohea after four minutes.

More Rovers indiscipline was punished by referee Chris Kendall but Salford failed to take advantage and Shaun Kenny-Dowall burst out of a tackle to gain important ground and relieve the pressure.

Salford were down to 12 men when Atkin was sin-binned at the next play and when Rovers then forced a second set Lawler spun out of a tackle to go over with 19 minutes gone. Abdull’s simple conversion made it 6-4.

Crooks claimed Rovers’ second try as he dived in at the right corner from Quinlan’s pass with 16 minutes of the half remaining.

Rovers suffered a blow as Dean Hadley had to go off 10 minutes before the break following extensive treatment, with Matty Storton coming on in his place.

But the home side stretched their lead just before half-time as Takairangi chased his own kick through to touch down and Abdull added the extras to make it 16-4 to the home side.

Salford needed to start the second half well but successive errors allowed Rovers to further add to their lead.

Morgan Escare dropped the ball over his own line and Lolohea then kicked out the goalline drop-out on the full so Abdull was presented with an easy penalty to make it 18-4.

Rovers also picked up a yellow card as Quinlan kicked the ball out of an opponent’s hand as he went to play it on the ground.

A delayed pass by Abdull put in Kenny-Dowall for Rovers’ fourth try as he dotted down despite the attentions of four defenders and Abdull’s conversion made it 24-4 with 17 minutes to go.

Try number five was not long coming as Parcell bounced out of a tackle and went over close to the posts and Abdull made it 30-4.

Hall then showed his power after intercepting and, although it took him two goes to claim the ball in the air, he scored try number six.

Linnett’s score added gloss to the score as the home side won 40-4 but there was more woe for the visitors as Pauli Pauli picked up a straight red card for a shoulder barge on Abdull.


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