Hull KR in 'very strong position' but Willie Peters targets improvement

Rovers were out of the traps quickly and got the first try of the game before Salford hit back to claim the lead.

Peters said he was delighted with how his players responded to going behind in what was at times a tight contest.

“We had a good start, scoring first and then we let in a try that I thought came too easy to them down that short side,” said the Hull KR head coach, whose side travel to Wigan Warriors on Friday for a potential League Leaders’ Shield decider.

“I was happy with the way the players responded and to go in at 20-6 without playing our best was good. There was a period there where we really went after them.

“We’re in a very strong position but there were areas of that game, and the players said this too, which we can work on and improve. Salford are a good team, a top-four team, and we had to dig deep.”

Rovers were without James Batchelor and Joe Burgess due to suspension and injury and Peters praised the versatility of the likes of Tom Opacic and Jack Broadbent.

“Joe Burgess has a tight hamstring,” said Peters. “He felt it early on in the week. Joe’s game is based around his speed and we didn’t want to risk it.

“We bring in Broady and we bring in Tom – we have good depth there and players know what they have to do.”

Hull KR opened the scoring through Broadbent but Salford were quick to reply when Joe Mellor also went over in the corner, with Marc Sneyd’s conversion putting the visitors in front.

A Mikey Lewis penalty drew the sides level on another off night with the boot which saw him only convert three of his side’s six tries.

Jai Whitbread regathered to touch down from a ball steal close to the Salford line and a Lewis try gave his side breathing space, which was added to by Broadbent’s second score for a 20-6 advantage at the break.

Opacic stretched over for Rovers’ next try and when Jez Litten burrowed his way in for number six the home side had done more than enough to secure the points.

But Salford refused to lie down with Nene MacDonald’s late try and Sneyd’s conversion making the final score 32-12.

Salford coach Paul Rowley felt his side were far from outclassed but were left chasing shadows for much of the contest.

Rowley admitted: “Coming to Hull KR they are a side with a lot of confidence and a lot of momentum.

“They are connected as a team and to face any team in good form you need to be disciplined with the ball and without the ball. We gave them far too much possession and they are a team who can damage you.

“We chased a lot of shadows for large parts of the game. It was disappointing and our team will be disappointed with how it went.

“I always felt we could have got ourselves back in the game, even at half-time.

“I felt we were still within distance and the second half was going one of two ways. We were going to be the victim or the aggressor.”