Warrington 30-12 Hull KR

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Warrington saw off a strangely subdued Hull Kingston Rovers with a convincing and comfortable win.

Missing half back pairing Lee Briers and Chris Bridge, injured in last week’s defeat to St Helens, the Wolves never looked in danger of being tested by the Robins, who failed to match the standards of last weeks win at home to Leeds.

They were handed a huge blow on the interval, just as they looked like getting back in to the game, when James Webster was carried off with an injured ankle. Without him, they never really tested the Warrington backline.

In the end, it could have been a lot more for the home side, as they failed to finish a number of chances in the second half, eventually running out XX-X winners.

The game started off as a midfield tussle with Hull KR keeping it simple in the centre of the park. But when they went for an adventurous play on the last tackle, Luke Dyer was wrapped up on his wing by Brent Grose.

From the resulting set of six, the ball was spread out wide to Martin Gleeson who broke through a tackler to put Henry Fa’afili in down the right past full back Ben Cockayne. Sullivan took over the kicking duties in the absence of Briers and Bridge, and landed the conversion from the far touchline.

There was another injury blow for Warrington on 20 minutes when prop forward Adrian Morley, making his home debut, went off with an eye injury.

It was another Rovers error that led to the home side’s second try on 30 minutes, Scott Murrell kicking the ball out on the full on his own 40 metre line.

A penalty was awarded from the subsequent scrum, and after Warrington had spread the ball right then left, Martin Gleeson sent Paul Johnson through Gareth Morton and over the line for 10-0.

The visitors almost hit back minutes later when Cockayne was stopped inches short of the line.

But it was the Wolves who grabbed the next score, Mark Gleeson making a half break through midfield. Vinnie Anderson then put Ben Westwood through a gaping hole in the defence and the former Wakefield man goaled from under the sticks for 16-0.

A superb tackle by Stuart Reardon kept the Robins off the scoresheet when Gareth Morton looked destined to score, but they weren’t to be denied seconds from the hooter when Webster found Netherton who reached for the whitewash and reduce the deficit to ten at the break, 16-6.

It was one way traffic after the interval, Paul Johnson touching down within minutes of the restart following a knock on by Tommy Gallagher, and Jon Clarke converted his own try to stretch the lead to 26-6.

Johnson was denied a hat trick twice – first by a superb tackle by Cockayne over the line and then when Luke Dyer stopped his run inches before the line.

And Clarke rounded off the home scoring from the following play the ball to seal a win for the home side, and the perfect response to last week’s hammering by the champions.

Byron Ford claimed a late consolation for the visitors in the corner, converted by Morton.

Warrington: Stuart Reardon, Henry Fa’afili, Martin Gleeson, Paul Johnson, Brent Grose, Vinnie Anderson, Jon Clarke, Paul Rauhihi, Michael Sulliva, Chris Leikvoll, Ben Westwood, Adrian Morley, Mike Wainwright.

Subs: Richie Barnett, Mark Gleeson, Rob Parker, Paul Wood.

Tries: Fa’afili, Johnson (2), Westwood, Clarke (2)
Goals: Sullivan, Westwood, Clarke

Hull KR: Ben Cockayne, Luke Dyer, Gareth Morton, Jon Goddard, Byron Ford, Scott Murrell, James Webster, Makali Aizue, Ben Fisher, Michael Vella, Jason Netherton, Chris Chester, Tommy Gallagher.

Subs: Jim Gannon, David Tangata-Toa, Iain Morrison, Stanley Gene.

Tries: Netherton, Ford.
Goals: Morton 2

Referee: Ian Smith

Attendance: 10,030