Late Louis Sheriff try secures win for Hull KR over Widnes Vikings
A late Louis Sheriff try gave Hull KR a 32-26 victory over Widnes Vikings.
Rovers were only behind for a short period in the first half and developed an 18-4 lead, but survived a second half Vikings revival to take the two points back home to Craven Park.
Joe Mellor scored the opening try for Widnes in the second minute. Stefan Marsh’s offload to Mellor created space down the Rovers left side which Mellor easily exposed.
But Rovers didn’t take long to respond. Michael Dobson orchestrated a brilliant move down the left side. The break was made by the Australian before offloading to David Hodgson. Hodgson quickly passed back to Dobson for him to score under the posts.
Rovers extended their lead through Ryan O’Hara. Widnes’ discipline cost the Vikings territory, and O’Hara used all of his strength to get over the Vikings’ line.
Josh Hodgson scored for Rovers next to the posts with 15 minutes of the first half remaining, but they could have had even more points. David Hodgson intercepted a Widnes pass, but didn’t have the legs to go all the way to the Vikings try line.
However shortly before half time Stefan Marsh collected a Jack Owens offload to score in the right corner for the Vikings. This reduced Widnes’ deficit to just 10 points at half time.
Widnes started the second half stronger after five minutes, when Kurt Haggerty scored under the posts. The Vikings’ pressure on kicker Michael Dobson was enough to force the ball loose, and Haggerty reacted to narrow Rovers’ lead.
Rovers, similar to the first half, quickly struck back after Widnes’ try. Ben Galea broke the Vikings’ line and reached out to ground the ball over the home side’s try line.
But Danny Craven caught Hull KR napping with a move that was certainly not from the training ground. Craven’s high kick was caught by Willie Isa on Widnes right side. Isa improvised on the last tackle, and grubber kicked the ball for Craven to chase, catch and score in the corner.
Graeme Horne nudged Rover further ahead, and Dobson converted to give his side an eight point lead as the game reached the final quarter of an hour.
But Widnes failed to concede the game, and with less than seven minutes remaining Hanbury scored a crucial try for Widnes. Patrick Ah Van’s break on the Vikings’ right side of the field created the momentum. Ah Van was being chased down by Rovers’ scrambling defenders, but his grubber kick forward was collected by the chasing Hanbury to score under the posts.
The Vikings were only two points down when Sheriff scored the final try with three minutes remaining.
Widnes scores: T- Mellor, Marsh, Haggerty, Craven, Hanbury. G- Hanbury (3)
Hull KR scores: T- Dobson, O’Hara, J Hodgson, Galea, Horne, Sheriff. G- Dobson (4)
Widnes: Owens; Isa, Marsh, Dean, Ah Van; Mellor, Hanbury; Cross, McShane, Pickersgill; Winterstein, Allen, Cahill. Subs: Davies, Kite, Haggerty, Craven.
Hull KR: Sheriff; Salter, Webster, Heil, D Hodgson; Green, Dobson; Clinton, J Hodgson, O’Hara; Laithwaite, Galea, Petersen. Subs: Paea, Withers, Horne, Griffin.
Half time: 8-18
Attendance: 5,325
Referee: Thierry Alibert
St Helens defeated Huddersfield 46-12 in Sunday’s final match of Super League.
Tommy Makinson and Jonny Lomax put Saints into an early lead inside the first quarter of an hour. Huddersfield replied through Keith Mason before Lance Hohaia dived over the Giants’ try line.
Louis McCarthy-Scarsbrook extended the home side’s lead before Scott Grix scored for Huddersfield 10 minutes from the first half’s end.
Anthony Laffranchi increased St Helens’ lead only after an hour, but his try killed off the game as a contest for Huddersfield.
James Roby increased Saints’ lead further with 15 minutes remaining, before Paul Wellens finished the scoring for St Helens.
Warrington hammered Bradford Bulls 50-22 at the Halliwell Jones Stadium.
Stefan Ratchford scored four tries, while Joel Monaghan, Richie Myler, Chris Riley and David Solomona all scored to add to the Bulls’ misery.
Danny Addy scored two tries for the visitors, while there were consolation tries for Elliot Whitehead and Karl Pryce.
Tom Lineham scored two tries to give Hull FC a 34-26 win over Salford City Reds.
Kirk Yeaman, Joe Westerman and Jordan Turner rounded off the scoring for the Airlie Birds, despite the sin binning of Mark O’Meley.
Salford replied through two tries from Ashley Gibson and Sean Gleeson, while Jodie Broughton scored a solitary try.