Hull KR 26 Castleford Tigers 10: Robins finally take flight at Craven Park

With three rounds played Tigers are still looking for their first win under new coach Lee Radford.

They contributed to their own downfall by having two players sin-binned in quick succession in the first half and conceding a flurry of penalties.

The Robins did not score against 11 men and went behind while Castleford were down to 12, but a try just before the interval edged them ahead and they were rarely troubled as the visitors tired in the second period.

Hull KR’s speed, particularly from Wood on the right wing, Mikey Lewis at half-back and Matt Parcell in the middle, eventually proved too much for Castleford, though they defended spiritedly throughout the 26-10 defeat.

Tigers went a man down when Will Dagger – playing at full-back for Rovers with star signing Lachlan Coote on the injury list – took a high bomb and was wiped out by Bureta Faraimo.

In the current climate it was probably a card, but Dagger was falling at the time he was hit, so yellow was the right call.

That was on 18 minutes and Rovers took advantage four minutes later when Parcell broke through the middle with Jordan Abdull in support.

Gareth O’Brien did well to pull him down, but the Robins moved play left and Shaun Kenny-Dowall stepped past Cheyse Blair for a fine try.

It wasn’t converted, but things went from bad to worse for Tigers as Liam Watts, who had just been introduced off the bench, was yellow carded for a foul in the build-up to the try, the big prop having caught Lewis high after the ball had been passed.

Tigers held out with 11 men and Watts was prowling the touchline waiting to come back on when Jordan Turner’s 100th career try got them level – the centre finishing well off a terrific pass by Jake Trueman – and O’Brien converted from wide out to edge the visitors ahead.

Tigers would have been pinching themselves if they had led at the break, but Rovers came up with a well-worked try just two minutes before the interval to go in with a two-point lead.

A penalty for obstruction turned a Tigers attack into defence, then Brad Takairangi got the ball away to Lewis and he sent Wood over at the corner, too far out for Abdull to add the extras.

Tigers’ task got harder 12 minutes into the second half when Wood scoped up a low pass from Abdull and barged over the top of Derrell Olpherts.

Abdull finally got his radar working to convert from the touchline.

Rovers’ speed caused Castleford problems all evening and with 16 minutes left, Wood sent Lewis dashing away and he drew the full-back before sending Parcell over to give Abdull a simple conversion.

Moments later, Takairangi stepped through for the hosts’ fifth try, which Abdull again goaled and only a brilliant tackle by Niall Evalds prevented Lewis scoring direct from that restart.

With eight minutes left, Faraimo pulled an unconverted try back after good handling by O’Brien and Evalds, but it was too little too late.

Hull KR: Dagger, Wood, Takairangi, Kenny-Dowall, Hall, Lewis, ASbdull, Storton, Pacell, King, Halton, Linnett, Minchella. Substitutes: Litten, Richards, Garratt, Laulu-Togaga’e.

Castleford Tigers: Evalds, Olpherts, Turner, Fonua, Faraimo, Trueman, O’Brien, Massey, McShane, Griffin, Sutcliffe, Blair, Westerman. Substitutes: Watts, Smith, matagi, Robb.

Referee: Liam Moore (Wigan).

Warrington’s 20-year-old centre Connor Wrench has a stress fracture in his back which will keep him out for up to five weeks.

Wrench deputised for the injured Toby King in the Wolves’ opening Super League win at Leeds but was forced to sit out last Thursday’s victory over Castleford.

He was sent for scans which revealed the extent of the injury.