The Leeds Rhinos were back in Hull, the scene of their one-point defeat heatbreak last weekend, hoping to turn round a mini-dip in form against tenth placed Hull KR who needed the win to avoid being cut further adrift in the league table.
There were wholesale changes for the Robins after last weeks cup win over Oldham with Danny McGuire back in the side to face his previous employers for the first time on home soil.
The Rhinos made just one change with Brad Singleton in for Cameron Smith with Brett Delaney moving to the bench as coach McDermott had his eyes on fifth spot after Hull FC’s slip up in the south of France last night.
Two tackles after Leeds knocked-on at the play-the-ball the Rhinos conceeded a penalty for holding down and Ryan Shaw kicked the penalty to give KR the lead on nine minutes.
A superb Danny McGuire 40-20 pushed KR downfield and a quick tap found Robbie Mulhern in support to go over for the first try of the afternoon. Shaw kicked the conversion and the home side were good value for their 8-0 after thirteen minutes.
On twenty-two Joel Moon opened the Rhinos account pushing off Mulhern to go through a gap and ground. Kallum Watkins added the extras putting the Rhinos back in thegame a trailing by just two points.
The Rhinos hit the front on twenty-five when Richie Myler stepped through the line and found Jamie Jones-Buchanan in support to take the pass and score by the uprights. Watkins was again accurate with the boot for 12-8.
After conceeding a penalty Leeds opened up when Mose Masoe took the ball two metres out to crash over the line for the Robins second of the afternoon. Shaw converted the try and edged his side back into the lead on thirty minutes.
Rovers got a penalty for interference on thirty-four and Shaw kicked the goal to double the lead to 16-12. It was a see-saw game with little to choose between the sides on their first half performances. Two minutes before the interval Shaw kicked another penalty goal for an 18-12 lead.
Masoe was sin-binned for contact to the head on Ashton Golding with the second half three minutes old.
With an extra man the Rhinos chose to keep the ball alive but Brett Ferres knocked-on over the line. But the Rhinos forced the error on Rovers next set on their oen thirty and three tackles into the set Ryan Hall was clear to go down the wing to score in the corner. Watkins converted from the touchlline to level the scores once more.
After a penalty for holding down by Danny Tickle on Matt Parcell the Leeds skipper Watkins put them back into the lead with a penalty goal with twenty-five to go. Two minutes later and Justin Carney went close but Leeds muscled up and kept him out.
It was a nervous last twenty but the Rhinos defence held firm and ran down the clock to a two point victory to start to shake off the memory of two conseutive one point defeats and climb above Hull FC in the league table. The Robins put up a brave fight but made some strange decision and mistakes which cost them at crucial moments. It will be a mightily relieved Rhinos who get on the coach back to LS6 tonight.
KR: Quinlan, Shaw (5G), Greenwood, Vaivai, Carney, McGuire, Lee, Mulhern (T), Atkin, Masoe (T, SB on 43), Tickle, Clarkson, Kavanagh. Subs: Scruton, Donaldson, Marsh, Cator.
Rhinos: Golding, Briscoe, Watkins (4G), Handley, Hall (T), Moon (T), Myler, Cuthbertson, Parcell, Singleton, Jones-Buchanan (T), Ablett, Ward. Subs: Ferres, Delaney, Oledzki, Mullally.
Referee: Scott Mikalauskas.
Half-Time: 18-12.
Full-Time: 18-20.
Attendance: .
