Hull KR 44 London Broncos 16: Hodgson delivers hat-trick after late Rovers call

Hodgson was a late inclusion after Sam Latus pulled out before the game with tonsillitis and the former Huddersfield winger marked his return in spectacular fashion with a first-half hat-trick.

Sandercock felt Hodgson and centre Kris Welham struck up a solid partnership against the Broncos with the first five tries coming from the pair. “Dave wasn’t quite 100 per cent fit which was why we didn’t name him,” Sandercock said.

“Unfortunately we don’t have too many options on the wing and with Sam out with tonsillitis we had no choice but to try and get him through the game without making his injury worse.

“The left-hand side looked pretty dangerous and everyone knows Kris Welham is in the elite training squad and there is a reason why.

“He’s a great attacking player and he linked very well with Dave.”

Sandercock was satisfied with the tries his side scored, but claimed there was still room for improvement.

“It’s pleasing to get a win and we scored some good tries out there,” he said. “But we have a lot of improving to do. We need to respect the football more than we did.

“We need to improve our discipline in the first half and if we can do that hopefully we can move forward and make progress.

“Maybe we were a bit too enthusiastic and that can lead to a few untidy areas playing the ball.

“It’s something we are working on in training.” Graeme Horne and Blake Green also went over for the Robins, who got off to the perfect start with three tries in the first 13 minutes from Hodgson (2) and Welham.

London were in danger of being blown away but they kept the game alive by scoring the game’s next try through Shane Rodney.

It was the tonic London needed and they cut the deficit to 18-12 when Chad Randall backed himself to score from dummy half from a couple of metres out.

Hodgson’s hat-trick was converted by Dobson, who also added a penalty before Kieran Dixon slid over for London.

But the hosts ran away with victory with further tries from Welham, Graeme Horne and Green. Dobson completed a perfect kicking day to make it 44-16.

Hull KR: McDonnell, Hall, Welham, Salter, D. Hodgson, Green, Dobson, Lovegrove, J. Hodgson, Paea, Mika, Galea, Murrell. Substitutes: Taylor, Netherton, Withers, Horne.

London Broncos: Dorn, Caro, O’Callaghan, Sarginson, Dixon, Bailey, Gower, Kaufusi, Randall, Bryant, Rodney, Melling, Clubb. Substitutes: Cook, B. Bolger, Krasniqi, Channing.

Referee: J Child (England).