Clinical Hull KR beat Leigh to extend lead at top

Betfred Super League

Hull KR (22) 30

Goals: Lewis 5, Tanginoa, Davies, Gildart, Lewis 2, Tanginoa, Davies

Leigh Leopards, who had just finished second, defeated early Super League pacesetters Hull KR at Craven Park to move three points clear at the top.

Leigh’s unbeaten run was ended by the victory, which extended Rovers’ winning streak to five games and extended the Super League campaign’s start.

Rovers led the opening period with scores from Oliver Gildart, Kelepi Tanginoa, and a Mikey Lewis double, which were both defensively and offensively strong.

After Tom Davies dived over in the corner, Lewis converted a brilliant touchline conversion in a quieter second half.

When Gildart forced his way over for his fourth try of the season, the Robins, who are also through to the Challenge Cup quarter-finals, were given a quick start.

Elliot Minchella, in his 100th Super League appearance, was forced to offload in the tackle and give Lewis a walk-in after Leigh’s poor defensive play on their own line.

Leigh had a positive moment, with Bailey Hodgson reaching for the dot, but the Leopards’ riposte was rejected due to a double movement.

As a length-of-the-field score beckoned, the visitors were relieved to see Davies grass Tyrone May’s pass, before Leigh wasted their own chances.

Before being tackled, Umyla Hanley broke the line, but she chose not to pick out supporting runners, and Lachlan Lam spilled the ball yards away from the whitewash.

After Lewis’ two tackles, Tanginoa’s one-handed offload made it easy for the Rovers to take the pressure and increase their lead immediately.

A lightning-sharp attack down the left gave Lewis a clear run under the posts, capping a strong half.

After the break, Rovers squandered a few opportunities to extend their lead before returning home with a third shutout of the season.

Willie Peters, the head coach of Hull KR, told BBC Radio Humberside:

The players have done it again, which is a credit for what they do in the pre-season and what they do during the week, but keeping a side like Leigh to zero is a difficult task. They all focus on getting things right in defense, which they did today.

Being the last unbeaten side, they say, “We’re not getting carried away, even though it’s early in the season.” There are many games in store for us.

“But you can only play the first five games, which we were able to win unbeaten.

Adrian Lam, head coach of the Leigh Leopards, told BBC Radio Manchester:

There is a lot to learn from this, so it’s out of character, of course, and it’s very frustrating and disappointing.

“We’ve done that a few times when we’ve come up here, and it’s not been us, it’s completely different from who we are and what we’ve been,” he said.

“We were away today. There is no known identity for a club as of right now.

Litten, Luckley, Whitbread, Tanginoa, and more.

Armstrong, Hodgson, Niu, Hanley, Brand, O’Brien, Lam, Trout, Ipape, Tuitavake, O’Neill, Hughes, Lui, and others.

Pene, Brogan, Davis, and Dwyer make changes.