Rovers see off city rivals

Hull KR battled back from a 14-0 first-half deficit to beat city rivals Hull FC 34-22 in a gripping climax to the Millennium Magic weekend.

Two tries apiece for Ben Galea and Kris Welham, as well as scores from Blake Green on debut and Clint Newton ensured Rovers piled more misery on the Black and Whites.

Hull - bidding to avenge last season's play-off defeat at the KC Stadium - started superbly with tries from Kirk Yeaman and Lee Radford, but Rovers hit back with 28 unanswered points. Late tries from new signing Will Sharp and Yeaman were little consolation for Hull.

Hull forced a drop-out with just three minutes gone and opened the scoring from the resulting set.

A drive from Danny Tickle set up the opportunity and Yeaman slipped past Jake Webster to apply the finishing touch, after passes from Sean Long and Jordan Turner.

Hull maintained the pressure and extended their lead when Long sent Radford over from a scrum.

With Tickle converting both tries and adding a penalty, the Black and Whites were looking comfortable with a 14-0 lead after 11 minutes.

But Rovers refiused to panic and not only settled but took control of the game with three quickfire tries.

Green began the recovery as he dummied his way over after a burst from Shaun Briscoe and offloads from Newton and Scott Wheeldon.

Newton then broke through two tackles to add a second try and Rovers led 18-14 at the interval after Michael Dobson, who kicked four goals in the match, put Galea through a gap with a short pass.

Justin Morgan's men increased their lead early in the second half as Galea took a Dobson pass and beat the challenges of Long and Richard Whiting to score.

Held firm

Rovers defence held firm with Liam Colbon producing a fine tackle on Sharp and Yeaman being stopped short by Webster.

The Robins then went down the other end and scored again, Dobson offloading a pass under pressure from opposite number Long to set up Welham for a fifth try.

With Dobson hobbling after a collision with Long, Welham converted.

Hull's frustration continued as Reece Lyne stretched out to score in the corner but was forced into touch by a fine try-saving tackle from Webster.

Sharp did finally reduce the arrears 10 minutes from time as Willie Manu and Whiting kept the ball alive for Tickle to send Sharp over on the right.

It was a try on debut for Sharp but Hull could take little satisfaction, as Welham found space to run in his second soon after.

There was still time for Yeaman to claim the game's final try but the contest was long since over.