Warrington Wolves 20 Hull KR 8: Away woes continue to leave big question unanswered

The Robins have not tasted success outside the county since February 2023, a wretched run that has featured a series of away losses to their closest rivals in Super League.

Willie Peters' side underlined their title credentials in back-to-back home wins over Wigan Warriors and St Helens to go joint top but they have much to prove on the road.

Rovers have yet to beat a top team away from home under Peters, a worrying trend they need to break before the business end of the season.

Warrington are developing into something of a bogey team for Peters' Hull KR, making it four straight wins since his arrival after racing into an 18-0 lead.

KR's right edge was all at sea in the first half and an improvement came too late to get anything from the game.

Jack Broadbent and Mikey Lewis scored Rovers' tries but there was little else to shout about, a strong debut from new recruit Jack Brown aside.

Peters may yet get the chance to break his duck against Warrington in the Challenge Cup final, should the Robins get past Wigan in Doncaster.

For now, he will be scratching his head about the contrast between his side's home and away performances.

The warning signs were there for the Robins in the early minutes, Rodrick Tai passing behind Josh Thewlis after Warrington created some space on their right edge.

The Wolves soon switched their attention to the opposite flank and kept going back for more following Toby King's seventh-minute opener.

A strong carry from Paul Vaughan put Rovers on the back foot and the visitors could not recover.

On the next play, Joe Burgess flew in from his wing to give King the chance to exchange passes with Matty Ashton and race over.

It quickly unravelled for KR's right edge with Warrington sensing blood.

When Ashton found himself in space again with the tryline in sight, Burgess did enough to prevent him from touching down.

Unfortunately for the Rovers winger, he went too high and the video referee awarded a penalty try.

Josh Thewlis added his second goal to make it 12-0 and leave the Robins facing a test of character.

Ashton dropped Matt Dufty's pass after picking apart KR’s shaky right edge once again before the visitors belatedly played the ball in Warrington's half for the first time 19 minutes in.

Rovers were being starved of field position, not helped by their own ill-discipline in the absence of injured captain Elliot Minchella.

Peters' men survived another scare when Dufty failed to ground Ashton's kick but they eventually ran out of luck following the concession of another penalty.

Peta Hiku was guilty of racing in to give King the space he needed to cut back inside and finish.

When Thewlis took Warrington's lead out to 18-0, it appeared to be curtains for the Robins on the evidence of the opening 28 minutes.

The momentum began to shift after Zane Musgrove came up with Wire's first error in an exit set.

The mistake gave Rovers their first attacking set and they made it count, Kelepi Tanginoa bouncing out of a tackle to get away an offload to Niall Evalds who laid on Broadbent's second try in as many games.

Lewis missed the conversion but the Robins had something to cling on to as they made their way off at half-time.

KR needed a greater share of field position in the second half and they made a bright start.

Evalds had a try ruled out for a knock-on by Ryan Hall as he was bundled towards touch but Rovers found a way over through Lewis on 50 minutes.

The half-back's kick bounced back off the boot of Matty Nicholson and the Wolves were helpless to prevent him from scampering over in the corner.

Lewis was wide from the touchline but the home fans were getting jittery.

The Robins failed to take advantage of a fumble by Dufty from Lewis' high kick and were struggling to carve out clear-cut chances as the minutes ticked away.

It was a similar story for Warrington but they were in the box seat and only ever one try away from ending KR's challenge.

Rovers were given a let-off when Ashton lost the ball attempting an acrobatic finish and went close themselves through James Batchelor in a tense finish.

The Robins continued to huff and puff but they knew their race was run when Evalds spilt a drop-out.

Thewlis put the seal on a deserved Warrington win with a penalty on the final hooter after Lewis failed to make the required 10 metres with a drop-out of his own.

Warrington Wolves: Dufty, Thewlis, King, Tai, Ashton, Williams, Drinkwater, Harrison, Walker, Vaughan, Nicholson, Fitzgibbon, Currie. Substitutes: Philbin, Musgrove, Crowther, Powell.

Tries: King (6, 27), Ashton (11)

Goals: Thewlis 4/4

Hull KR: Evalds, Burgess, Hiku, Broadbent, Hall, May, Lewis, Sue, Litten, Whitbread, Tanginoa, Batchelor, Hadley. Substitutes: Parcell, Brown, Storton, King.

Tries: Broadbent (32), Lewis (50)

Goals: Lewis 0/2

Referee: James Vella.