Ben Guzdek reviews the clash between 1st and 11th at Emerald Headingley.
MATCH TIMELINE
| Minute | Scoring Play | Score |
| 10th | Try: Sam Powell. Conversion: Zak Hardaker (Wigan) | Hull KR 0-6 Wigan |
| 17th | Try: Elliot Minchella. Conversion: Mikey Lewis (Hull KR) | Hull KR 6-6 Wigan |
| 21st | Try: Greg Minikin (Hull KR) | Hull KR 10-6 Wigan |
| 23rd | Try: Minchella. Conversion: Lewis | Hull KR 16-6 Wigan |
| 28th | Try: Harry Smith. Conversion: Hardaker | Hull KR 16-12 Wigan |
| 40th | Try: Minikin. Conversion: Will Dagger (Hull KR) | Hull KR 22-12 Wigan |
| 44th | Try: Dean Hadley. Conversion: Dagger (Hull KR) | Hull KR 28-12 Wigan |
| 47th | Try: Minikin (Hull KR) | Hull KR 32-12 Wigan |
| 71st | Try: Jackson Hastings. Conversion: Hardaker | Hull KR 32-18 Wigan |
| 78th | Goal: Jordan Abdull (Hull KR) | Hull KR 34-18 Wigan |
MATCH SUMMARY
1st Half
Having seen a try ruled out in the corner for a forward pass, Wigan were the first side on the scoreboard as Sam Powell made the most of their early dominance to power through a gap and over.
But it wasn’t long until Rovers found a bit of joy and it came from nothing, really. Jez Litten was the brains behind it, picking the ball up at dummy half and darting through a hole in the Wigan line. He squared up Bevan French before putting Elliot Minchella over the line.
Before long KR were celebrating a second as fast hands allowed Greg Minkin to exploit an overlap and touch down in the corner to give Rovers a lead which many thought was beyond them at Headingley.
Clever play from Jordan Abdull put Minchella over for his second of the game, rounding French from 20 yards to touchdown.
Wigan hit back through Harry Smith in the corner after a defensive mix up, but KR were good value for their lead with Abdull and Mikey Lewis pulling the strings and encouraging the expansive play Rovers are becoming known for.
Abdull was at it again before the first half was out latching onto an offload from Kane Linnett and freeing Minikin for his second with a looping cut out pass to give the Robins an unlikely 10 point lead at the break.
2nd Half
KR didn’t take their foot off the gas in the second half either. Within minutes of the restart, Linnett flicked Abdull’s kick back into the half-back’s hands and the former London Broncos man teed up Dean Hadley to score.
Then, Minikin completed his hat-trick after some fine work from Linnett and Will Dagger in the corner.
Shaun Kenny-Dowall was sent the sin-bin late in the game and Jackson Hastings immediately took advantage to touch down, but by then it was too little, too late as Rovers stood firm in the second half to cap a fine performance with some gritty defensive work.
GAME HIGHLIGHT
Jez Litten’s run from dummy-half to set up Rovers’ first try of the game. He saw the gap in the defence and darted towards the try line.
Elliot Minchella provided the support and touched down over the line. KR were always likely to get a result sooner or later with this expansive style and they were good value for it against Wigan on the back of a short turnaround.
SQUADS
Hull KR: Will Dagger; Ethan Ryan, Shaun Kenny-Dowall, Kane Linnett, Greg Minikin; Jordan Abdull, Mikey Lewis; Weller Hauraki, Jez Litten, George Lawler; Matty Storton, Dean Hadley; Elliot Minchella.
Interchanges: Daniel Murray, Harvey Livett, Nathaniel Peteru, Joe Keyes
Wigan: Bevan French; Dom Manfredi, Zak Hardaker, Oliver Gildart, Jake Bibby; Jackson Hastings, Harry Smith; Liam Byrne, Sam Powell, Ben Flower; Willie Isa, Liam Farrell; Oliver Partington.
Interchanges: Amir Bourouh, Joe Shorrocks. Joe Greenwood, Mitch Clark
