Taylor leaves Saints stunned as Robins set sights on the play-offs

They remain in ninth but if they can re-produce such formidable form in their remaining games against Catalan and Castleford Tigers they will achieve that aim.

Whether it be their resilient defence, impressive forward strength, creative variety or sheer cussedness in keeping Saints at bay for so long yesterday, Justin Morgan’s side demonstrated real quality.

Young prop Scott Taylor was colossal up front along with veteran Mick Vella while Australian stand-off Blake Green brought pieces of class to unlock the illustrious visitors when it mattered most.

Such was Rovers’ effectiveness, they could even afford to see Michael Dobson endure an off day with his kicking – three times the scrum-half skewed straight into touch – and were full value for a fourth successive league win over Saints at Craven Park.

That they lost there Challenge Cup quarter-final 54-6 against the same opponents less than a month previously illustrates just how good the performance was.

The highlight was not Craig Hall’s 63rd-minute try which put them 22-16 ahead, despite the recalled winger’s splendid high take of Dobson’s kick, but a remarkable spell of defence as they strove to maintain that slender lead.

Dobson had added a penalty after Jon Wilkin tripped Kris Welham – the England international was placed on report by referee Steve Ganson – before they somehow bravely held out for three consecutive sets against their opponents’ famed attacking quality.

The likes of Leon Pryce, Jonny Lomax and Wilkin were left thwarted in all attempts as Rovers’ steel, organisation and utter desperation saw them home.

Lee Gaskell finally broke them after the hooter but, even with Jamie Foster’s third conversion, it was not enough as the East Yorkshire club inflicted Saints’ first defeat in six Super League games.

It had started so differently when Exiles star Sia Soliola, playing his first match as prop in the absence of injured James Graham, Tony Puletua and Josh Perry, broke clear through the middle inside two minutes.

Pryce spilled over the line following a high tackle but slick passing eventually saw Foster cross for the first of his brace, the youngster converting.

However, when Wilkin ignored support following another quick break, Rovers made them pay.

First, Dobson put Liam Watts surging through before taking a return pass and sending Green over on 12 minutes before, straight after, Green’s lowly drilled 40/20 resulted in Sam Latus showing good footwork to dive in for a second.

Dobson improved the first try but, when Green was penalised for a spear tackle, Lomax’s little dink with the outside of his boot allowed Matty Ashurst a soft 22nd-minute try, Foster’s conversion regaining the lead.

Green atoned for his error by adding his second try 10 minutes later with his customary ‘show and go’, the elusive stand-off having too much pace as he fended Paul Clough on the last tackle.

Dobson tagged on the extras but Foster ran in his second two minutes before the break, Kris Welham having brilliantly held up Tom Armstrong but Rovers having no chance as Saints crisply spread play to the opposite wing.

Early in the second half, Wilkin had an effort ruled out for double movement meaning Dobson’s 50th-minute penalty saw Rovers go 18-16 in front, a lead they would never relinquish.

With their kicking game now much improved, the unyielding hosts continually kept the pressure on their third-placed opponents.

They forced successive drop-outs ahead of Hall’s crucial score, first when Hall tackled Armstrong behind his own line from Dobson’s hanging kick and then when Paul Wellens was also forced back from Ben Fisher’s close-range grubber.

Taylor set up the position with two surging drives before Green almost sliced through for his hat-trick.

His dismay was soon eroded though when Hall – earning his first game since mid-June – produced an acrobatic climb to score and, although Dobson’s kick struck a post, he made sure with that penalty when the repentant Wilkin stuck out a leg after Welham had darted infield.

Jake Webster, a muscular force at centre as always, pulled off a brilliant tackle on Francis Meli to deny the Saints three-quarter and his team-mates copied his endeavour as they fiercely protected the expected onslaught late on.

By the time Gaskell finally cracked them, the game was over, which is now far from the case for Rovers’ growing play-off hopes.

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Hull KR: Briscoe; Latus, Webster, Welham, Hall; Green, Dobson; Vella, Hodgson, Taylor, Newton, Galea, Watts. Substitutes: Wheeldon, Murrell, Fisher, Cox.

St Helens: Wellens; Armstrong, Shenton, Meli, Foster; Pryce, Lomax; Soliola, Roby, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Flannery, Wilkin, Dixon. Substitutes: Clough, Moore, Ashurst, Gaskell.

Referee: S Ganson (St Helens).