Robins roasted by Saints

Ade Gardner grabbed a hat-trick as St Helens secured a second win over Hull KR inside a week with a 52-10 hammering at Knowsley Road.

The winger had been the hero just six days earlier when he grabbed a late try to settle a ferocious Carnegie Challenge Cup quarter-final.

There was to be no such drama this time around, Saints running in nine tries as they made it 12 straight wins over the Robins on home soil.

With Paul Sculthorpe back after five weeks out, the home side torched their opponents to make sure coach Daniel Anderson once again got the better of his brother-in-law, Rovers boss Justin Morgan.

Penalties

Hull KR certainly helped out their opponents with numerous penalties, one of which led to Gardner breaking the deadlock in the right corner.

The Great Britain international's second shortly after was almost a carbon copy, Matt Gidley's flick pass out the back of his hand leaving an easy run-in for his team-mate.

Australian centre Gidley turned from provider to scorer to help himself to a quick-fire double and, in between, Maurie Fa'asavalu forced his way through four defenders to score on the last tackle.

With Sean Long on target with all five conversions, the 30-0 scoreline at the break made sorry reading for the Robins, although to their credit they came out determined to right the wrongs of their 40-minute horror show that meant they were already playing only for pride.

Despite their concerted efforts to find a way through they conceded again, Michael Dobson's kick over the top being picked off by Jon Wilkin, who sprinted to the halfway line before sensibly deciding to pass the ball on for Leon Pryce to gallop in under the posts.

Eventually, though, the pressure tolled on Saints' defensive line, Michael Vella just about getting the ball down on the try-line to break Rovers' duck just after the hour mark.

A second followed soon after from Shaun Briscoe, with Paul Cooke's conversion taking the visitors' total into double figures and putting them 10-6 in front in the second half scoring.

Treble

However Saints refused to be outdone, once again victimising the Robins down their left as Gidley laid on a third for Gardner, who juggled the ball a few times before planting it down for his first ever treble in Super League.

When they tried their luck on the opposite flank they were just as successful, centre Willie Talau cantering in for his 60th try for the club.

Paul Wellens rounded out the scoring with a ninth and final try, which he also converted, that took the hosts through to their half century.

The only disappointment on the night was the sight of Jason Cayless stretchered off with a knee ligament injury suffered in a tackle that saw Rovers' Clint Newton placed on report.