Sixth placed Wakefield Trinity Wildcats welcomed tenth placed Hull KR to the Rapid Solicitors Stadium as they continued their quest for a top eight spot at the split, a quest at which they are looking ever more likely to succeed.
When these two met earlier in the season in Hull it was the Wildcats who won the game by a two point margin, and there was everything to suggest that tonight's game could be as close.
What no one was prepared for was a one-sided game with seventy points.
It was a perfect start for KR when a high kick from Albert Kelly was knocked back by Ian Thornley and into the hands of Kieron Dixon to go five metres to score. Ken Sio added the extra two for a 6-0 lead.
Albert Kelly got the second KR try after eleven minutes when they used ground conceded through a penalty for Chris Clarkson to put in a super offload for the scrum half to go in. Sio failed to add the conversion but it had been a great start for the visitors.
On seventeen James Greenwood went through a gap off an Albert Kelly short pass to use his strength to get over and ground. Sio missed again with the boot, this time a relatively easy looking one but the Robins lead was fourteen points.
On nineteen Shaun Lunt added to the Wildcats misery when he went twenty metres off a Dixon break and pass. When Sio added the extras it was twenty points in twenty minutes. The Wildcats looked shell-shocked.
On twenty-five the Wildcats broke their duck. A Thornley offload went to ground and Wakefield kept the ball alive and move it wide left for Bill Tupou to go over. The conversion attempt went wide and it was still a long way back for the home side, but it was brief respite.
A Campese kick was left by the Wakefield defence and once KR had it back in hand they kept it alive and eventually Walker found a gap before releasing James Green for a town metre try. Sio added the extra two for 26-4, the Wildcats were getting demolished.
On thirty-two Wakefield scored their second when Liam Finn put Michael Sio through a gap to dive over the line. Finn himself kicked the extras to get his side into double figures, the last scoring action of the half.
Hull KR had dominated the first half but despite being a distant second best the Wildcats were just three converted tries behind and after their recent exploits there was a chance that they'd claw the game back.
A beautifully worked Wildcats try opened the second half scoring when Liam Finn figured twice in a move which eventually saw him pass to Craig Hall with the line begging. Finn added the extras for 16-26.
Just when it looked like the fightback was gaining momentum Kieron Dixon flew down the left wing and grounded one-handed while in mid-air, by the corner flag. Sio failed to convert from wide. Within two minutes, on fifty-nine, Dixon was over for his hat-trick with a thirty metre dash to the line, reinforcing KRs dominance. Sio was accurate with the boot this time for 36-16 and it was looking like game over for Wakefield.
On sixty-two, Albert Kelly put in a speculative grubber twenty from the line and when Bill Tupou failed to collect the ball in his own goal area, James Greenwood was on hand to touch down. Sio kicked the conversion for 42-16.
An eighty metre Albert Kelly try, after Wakefield out the ball to ground, was KRs ninth try of the night. Sio added the extras for 48-16 to seal a runaway win.
Five from the end and KR hit the fifty when Maurice Blair found a gap in the tiring Wakefield defence to collect a Campese kick and walk under the sticks. Sio kicked his seventh of the night for 54-16 and an absolute trouncing.
From the opening plays there was no doubt as to where the points would be going but many will be surprised at the magnitude of the win. This was probably KRs most comprehensive performance of the year against a Wakefield side who have been exceeding everyone's expectations so far this season.
Wildcats: Hall (T), Johnstone, Lyne, Arundel, Tupou B (T), Miller, Finn (2G), Scruton, Sio (T), Simon, Tupou A, Ashurst, Molloy. Subs: Anderson, Annakin, Arona, Howarth.
KR: Marsh, Sio (7G), Clarkson, Thornley, Dixon (3T), Campese, Kelly (2T), Tilse, Lunt (T), Walker, Blair (T), Greenwood (2T), Mulhern. Subs: Boudebza, Allgood, Donaldson, Green (T).
Referee: Chris Kendall.
Attendance:
|