Wigan 16-26 Hull KR
Hull KR travelled to Wigan for the 1st time since the 1993-94 season looking for their 3rd victory of the season.
And what a start the Robin’s made as they punished Wigan’s Chris Ashton who lost control of a kick down-field, from the resulting scrum Byron Ford crashed over in the corner to give them a 4-0 lead with only 2 minutes gone.Thing’s got better for Hull K.R as Gareth Morton slotted over a penalty and extend the lead to 6-0 after 5 minutes.
After some Wigan pressure on Hull’s line the Rover’s moved their way downfield and it was a superb kick to the corner from James Webster that caused the problem’s for Mark Calderwood who was beaten to the loose ball by Byron Ford and he touched down before the ball went out of field and give Hull K.R a 10-0 lead after 17 minutes.After 25 minutes a James Webster 40-20 laid the platform for another Hull KR raid on Wigan’s try-line and it was Ben Fisher who dummied his way over to score a well taken try and Gareth Morton added on the extra’s to hand them a commanding 16-0 lead.
For the last 10 minutes of the 1st half Hull KR were down to 12 men after Jason Netherton was sin-binned for a late challenge on Thomas Leuluai, despite this it was Hull KR who scored after keeping the ball alive on the last tackle finally a Ben Cockayne high kick was fumbled and Luke Dyer gleefully accepted the opportunity to score the 4th try of the night for the Robin’s and make it 20-0 after 33 minutes.
Five minutes later the Warrior’s defence allowed Hull KR to keep the ball alive down the right hand-side and Gareth Morton went in from close range from which he converted to really take full control of this game and lead 26-0 at half time.
The Warrior’s finally responded from that 1st half mauling and after Phil Bailey had lost control of a high kick over the try line for Wigan 45 minutes in, it did not deter the Cherry and Whites as they went close but eventually they found the space to move the ball to the right wing and as Hull KR ran out of defender’s Mark Calderwood went over to give them hope at 26-4 down with 48 minutes on the clock, thing’s improved even further for Wigan when Shane Millard crashed over from close range and Richard’s was successful with the conversion to reduce the score to 26-10 in favour of Hull KR with half an hour left to play.
The Warrior’s encouraged with the opening 10 minutes play of the 2nd half powered forward in search of another try and as Hull KR’s tired defence was all at sea , Sean O’Loughlin scored from close range and Richard’s converted to make it 26-16 with 57 minutes gone.
Despite dominating most of the second half Wigan could not over haul the 26-0 half time lead the Robin’s had built in the 1st half and even though their defence was close to collapsing and letting the Warrior’s make a fantastic come-back they held onto record a famous victory and send Wigan down to their 2nd successive home defeat and win-less at home in SL12.