Hull KR beat Wigan as champions lose ground at top

Betfred Super League

Hull KR (18) 26

Tries: Sue, Gildart, Hiku, Hall, Tanginoa Goals: Lewis 3

Wigan (0) 10

Tries: Miski, Farrell Goals: Keighran

Hull KR consigned Wigan Warriors to defeat as the reigning champions lost ground at the top of Super League thanks to a disappointing performance at Craven Park.

The hosts dominated the first half, with Sauaso Sue crashing over for their first try and Oliver Gildart adding a second as they began to take control.

They kept Wigan scoreless in the first half with Peta Hiku further extending their advantage, but Abbas Miski got the visitors off the mark after the break.

Any threat of a comeback was quelled by Ryan Hall's tremendous score in the corner and Kelepi Tanginoa's cross-field score, with Liam Farrell's late try a mere consolation for Wigan.

Victory for Hull KR returns them to winning ways after last weekend's defeat by Catalans Dragons as they ensured Wigan lost their second game of the season, leaving them two points off leaders St Helens.

Wigan were uncharacteristically off the pace in the first half, with Hull KR's opener coming as they cheaply fumbled the ball, allowing the hosts another set and teeing up Sue to eventually touch down.

Gildart made his former side's night worse as he successfully grounded the ball despite Wigan's best efforts to thwart him but it was Hull KR's third try which summed up a half to forget for the visitors.

Hiku showed incredible strength to beat a tackle and race through into space, while he exchanged passes in partnership with Niall Evalds to carve Wigan open and bring up their lead to 18 points at the break.

The Cherry and Whites' first try came as Miski crashed in at the corner thanks to an impressive looped high pass from Bevan French, who was making his 100th Wigan appearance.

Under pressure from a raucous crowd at Craven Park, however, Adam Keighran missed the extras and Wigan still had plenty to do to claw down the Robins' first-half advantage.

Luke Thompson arguably should have bridged the gap further, but despite a fortuitous bounce as he raced to the try-line, he could not collect the ball to score what should have been a certain second Wigan try.

Hall gave the hosts what was sure to be a game-winning advantage when avoided going into touch to score at the corner, and Tanginoa put in a lung-busting run to make sure of the two points after the hosts dispossessed Wigan on their own 10-metre mark.

Farrell's late try came much too late for the Warriors, however it did ensure that he registered 500 career Super League points.

Hull KR: Evalds; Burgess, Hiku, Gildart, Hall; May, Lewis; Sue, Litten, Whitbread, Hadley, Batchelor, Minchella.

Interchanges: Parcell, Luckley, Storton, Tanginoa.

Wigan: Field; Miski, Keighran, Wardle, Marshall; French, Smith; Thompson, O'Neill, Dupree, Nsemba, Farrell, Ellis.

Interchanges: Havard, Cooper, Mago, Leeming.

Referee: Tom Grant.