Hull KR 30 Salford City Reds 12: Efficient Rovers start with victory as Reds wilt

With Hull City stunning Manchester City and Hull FC producing an equally impressive display at St Helens on Saturday, there may have been an added pressure on the Robins to perform yesterday.

Coach Justin Morgan insisted that was not the case but his side delivered regardless with an efficient if unspectacular defeat of Salford City Reds.

England winger Peter Fox got them off to a flying start with two tries in the opening seven minutes and, with prop Rhys Lovegrove an immense presence up front and scrum-half Michael Dobson as creative as ever, the Robins were rarely in trouble.

However, they should have won by more and despite running in five touchdowns, Morgan admitted: "I actually thought our attack was the worst part of our game.

"Our timing of the pass wasn't great but at this time of year it's always a work in progress.

"Defensively we were excellent and our pack worked exceptionally well.

"Rhys Lovegrove had a strong game as did Scott Wheeldon, well supported from Luke Watts off the bench. It was a fairly sound performance."

Morgan introduced a new midfield combination with centre Jake Webster starting at stand-off and Paul Cooke shifting to loose forward.

It was Cooke who proved influential in the opening exchanges as Rovers, looking to build on last year's top-four finish, soon fired.

He set up the position for the first try with a perfectly-weighted kick which left Jodie Broughton little room to manoeurve,

Fox chased down to bundle the winger into touch and moments later he was going over in the same spot after Cooke's brilliant cut-out pass.

Rovers were quickly in again, Dobson performing a run-around with Cooke before releasing Fox into space.

This time he still had work to do, shaking off a head-high tackle from Salford full back Karl Fitzpatrick before making it to the line.

Dobson, who finished with a 100 per cent record, improved both efforts from wide out and Rovers – with Lovegrove ably supported by the powerful second rower Clint Newton – continued to rattle their opponents.

However, Salford created a try out of nothing when former Leeds Rhinos centre Ashley Gibson broke down the right and found Matty Smith on his shoulder with a speculative ball infield.

Stefan Ratchford added the extras and, although Rovers re-acted positively, they could not find their earlier precision.

Dobson, one of four Rovers players to make the Super League Dream Team last season, fired out a splendid pass which Fox should have taken for his hat-trick.

But he bombed it and then the usually-reliable Newton also fumbled while playing the ball close in.

Cooke shimmied through with one piercing run but could not find Shaun Briscoe and the ball went to ground again as frustrations grew. Webster did finally add to the score though on 37 minutes, doing well to cling on to Dobson's flat pass, the provider converting to make it 18-6 at the interval.

Rovers came out stronger after the break but their dominance again initially looked like it might go unrewarded.

Dobson constantly teased the Salford defence but his probings came to nothing.

Towering prop Watts – impressing in a rare Super League appearance for the youngster – hit the Australian's clever inside pass but was hauled down just short by a flying Jeremy Smith tackle and when Rovers went wide Webster's long pass to Fox was both high and forward, the sort of slackness that frustrated his coach.

Dobson produced another defence-splitting pass for Jason Netherton to charge onto but again they were denied, this time by Luke Adamson.

Cooke tried engineering space for Ben Cockayne but the centre – featuring after new signing Mike Ratu suffered a hamstring injury in training – was poleaxed by Jeremy Smith's brutal high tackle. Dobson finally broke through himself on 54 minutes.

Newton, as eager as ever, charged down Ratchford's kick and managed to off-load to Webster who was only denied from advancing by a desperate tap-tackle.

However, as the Kiwi fell to the deck he pulled out a brilliant pass for Dobson who sprinted in from 30 metres.

Briscoe than fashioned a deserved try for Newton just after the hour mark.

Salford immediately responded when Ste Tyrer intercepted Dobson's first wasteful pass of the afternoon, racing clear before Jodie Broughton finished the 90-metre breakaway, but they did not trouble Rovers again.

On the experiment of using Webster at stand-off, Morgan explained: "He's a great runner of the football.

"I think it's going to add a new dimension to us there having someone with Jake's power a little bit closer to the ruck.

"Last year he might not have got his hands on the ball as much as a coach might like with somebody with his power and footwork."

Hull KR: Briscoe; Fox, Welham, Cockayne, Colbon; Webster, Dobson; Lovegrove, Murrell, Wheeldon, Newton, Cook, Cooke. Substitutes: Vella, Watts, Fisher, Netherton.

Salford City Reds: Fitzpatrick; Broughton, Gibson, Tyrer, McGilvray; Ratchford, Smith; Cashmere, Alker, Parker, Adamson, Swain, Holdsworth. Substitutes: J Smith, Sibbit, Leuluai, Boyle.

Referee: R Silverwood (Mirfield)

MATCH FOCUS

Hero: Rhys Lovegrove

The hard-running prop proved a handful down the middle for Salford, constantgly making yards to set a platform for Michael Dobson, while also impressing with his defensive work.

Villain: Jeremy Smith

The Salford forward was fortunate not to receive a card of some colour for his reckless high tackle on a flying Ben Cockayne

Key moment

After Salford had come back to 12-6, there were growing signs the opposition might make a game of it but Jake Webster's try just before the interval eased any fears.

Verdict

A reasonable first hit-out for Hull KR who showed many of the traits of 2009 – strength, organisation and determination.

Next game

Wigan Warriors (a) Friday February 12, 8pm, (live on Sky Sports).

Quote of the day

"It was good to see Hull City win; that was a bit of a shock to the system."

– Justin Morgan opts not to mention the Airlie Birds after a question about whether the pressure was on after Hull City and Hull FC won on Saturday.