Rovers roar past Dragons

Hull KR bounced back from their humiliating derby defeat last time out to complete a season double over Catalans Dragons with a 30-16 win at Craven Park.

A superb all-round performance from Michael Dobson proved the difference as the inspirational stand-off produced a flawless kicking display and created two tries to guide the hosts to victory.

With Rovers holding a slender two-point lead at the interval, a fantastic second-half performance saw Catalans blown away courtesy of tries from Ben Fisher, Ben Cockayne, and Micky Vella.

Dragons hit back through Vincent Duport, however stout defence from Rovers ensured the points stayed in East Yorkshire and condemned the Perpignan outfit to their second defeat on the bounce.

A cagey start from both sides saw plenty of endeavour but little reward as Rovers' stubborn defence cancelled out numerous early attacks from the Dragons.

Catalans notched the first points of the evening when Gregory Mounis went over for his sixth try of the season on the back of a stunning break from Sebastien Raguin.

Chester blow

After breaking past numerous challenges, Raguin won a penalty for his side deep in the Rovers half and the Dragons capitalised as Aaron Gorrell fed the ball to Mounis who crossed for the easiest of scores.

Things went from bad to worse for Rovers straight after the restart as Chris Chester was forced off the field with a neck injury following a nasty collision with Remy Casty.

However, Rovers, roared on by their vociferous home support, responded with a score of their own following superb link-up play between Dobson and Kris Whelham.

Dobson's inch-perfect grubber kick bounced kindly for academy product Whelham who kicked the ball past the static Catalans defence before scoring by the posts.

A routine conversion from Dobson brought the scores level at 6-6 with 30 minutes played.

As both sides looked set to head into the interval with the scores level, the influential Gorrell kicked a 40-20 and the Dragons ruthlessly seized their opportunity.

Thomas Bosc spun the ball out wide to Younes Khattabi who showed ox-like strength to power his way over a host of Rovers defenders and score his fifth try of the season in the corner.

With seconds left until half-time, Rovers bounced back with a score of their own following a stunning burst from the unstoppable Stanley Gene. The ball was then recycled to replacement Chaz l'Anson who burst through the middle to score under the posts.

Breathing space

Dobson added the extras to ensure it was the hosts who headed into the changing rooms holding a slender two-point advantage at 12-10.

Rovers flew out of the traps at the start of the second half and promptly extended their lead to eight points following a crisp break from Kirk Netherton and excellent support from Fisher.

Fisher's score was converted by Dobson who made it three from three with the boot and gave the hosts some breathing space for the first time in the match.

The Dragons were then let off the hook minutes later when a horrendous error from Adam Mogg presented Dobson with a chance to score under the posts, but he failed to ground the ball cleanly and the chance was spurned.

However there was no let-off for Catalans five minutes later as the French outfit again relinquished possession - this time Bosc the guilty party and Rovers capitalised.

Dobson was again at the heart of the creativity, and he superbly found Cockayne who crashed under the posts - the try was awarded despite a hint of a double movement.

With the Dragons defence at sixes and sevens Rovers pounced again just after the hour as Ben Galea burst his way through a gaping whole in the Dragons line.

Galea fed the onrushing Vella, and last season's Rovers player of the year stormed under the posts enabling Dobson to take his points tally into double figures.

However, the Dragons are made of stern stuff and their response was immediate. A horrible mix up in the Rovers back-line saw the ball fizzed out wide to Vincent Duport who dived over in the corner.

A superb conversion from Bosc closed the deficit to 14 points as the scores stood at 30-16 with 15 minutes to play, however there was no way through for the visitors from there on in and Rovers clinched a deserved victory.