Rovers get it done

Welham: two tries for Rovers

Hull KR won 30-28 win in the south of France to set up a last-day shoot-out against Castleford for the last play-off place.

Rovers coach Justin Morgan's final season will end in a third-straight play-off appearance if his side can avoid defeat to the Tigers at Craven Park next Sunday.

A Tigers win would see them and not Rovers complete the top eight, but Rovers are in the box seat after this win.

Former Catalan man Michael Dobson was their star, opening the scoring with a solo effort that saw him sneak between two would-be Catalan defenders.

He then produced an outstanding pass to Craig Hall who went inside to the supporting Kris Welham, who marked his 100th appearance for the club with his 23rd try of the season.

Dobson converted both tries to give the visitors a 12-point lead and further extended the advantage on 15 minutes when he kicked a penalty.

Catalan were spurred into action and a hard drive from Remy Casty gave the Dragons field position to launch an attack, although misplaced passes from firstly Steve Menzies and then Scott Dureau saw the attack fizzle out.

Catalan did hit back in the 21st minute when Dureau's kick to the right saw Setaimata Sa leap above the Rovers defence to touch down for his fifth try of the season.

Dureau added the conversion to bring the home side back into the game.

The hosts were denied a further try just minutes later when Clint Greenshields bounced off Scott Murrell's tackle to touch down, the video referee denying the score on this occasion for a double movement.

Hall then dropped the ball over the line and, as Catalan restarted from the 20-metre line, they sent the ball wide to Jean-Philippe Baile and he finished in the corner.

Dureau missed the conversion as the Dragons narrowed the gap to four points.

With five minutes remaining of the half, Hull KR further extended their lead when, after slick handling from Dobson, Jake Webster found Sam Latus in space to touch down in the corner. Dobson's conversion attempt hit the post.

With 15 seconds remaining on the clock a Catalan scrum saw Dureau kick to the right corner for Blanch, but the winger mistimed his jump and Hall broke away down the touchline after palming away Baille. With the cover closing in, Hall offloaded to the supporting Welham who raced away to score.

Dobson added the two points and his fourth goal of the night to send the Rovers into the break with a 14-point lead.

Front foot

The Dragons started the second half on the front foot as Daryl Millard went into the acting half, dummied one way, then the other and a gap opened up in front of him. He raced though it and went in, before the same player found the space to send Seb Raguin crashing over at the corner.

There was no let-up as Hall won a race with Blanch to score off Dobson's kick, with the latter converting to restore an eight-point lead.

Ben Fisher was tackled just centimetres from the Dragons line, Millard went close again and so did Sa and Greenshields as both sides looked to close out the game.

With nine minutes remaining Millard set up a tense finish as he climbed above Latus to touch down. Dureau converted to narrow the gap to two points.

The Dragons threw everything at the Rovers defence but, with a play-off spot on the line, the visitors repelled them and shut down Freddie Vaccari late on to take the game.