Hull KR demolish Hull FC with first-half try blitz

Hull KR destroyed city rivals Hull FC with six first-half tries at Craven Park.

A dismal 40 minutes from the Airlie Birds increased the pressure on head coach Tony Smith as two Joe Burgess tries pointed the way for the hosts.

Hull improved after the break as Jayden Okunbor and Cameron Scott scored to give brief hopes of a comeback.

Replacement Kelepi Tanginoa quashed those hopes with another try to make it three straight wins for the Robins.

Hull FC's fifth defeat in their first six Super League matches keeps them in 10th place, ahead of point-less Castleford and London Broncos.

Rovers paid tribute to legendary forward Phil Lowe, who died earlier in the month, in advance of the game, and in the opening 40 minutes their players did justice to the ex-Great Britain man's memory.

Hull, having leaked over 50 points in their two previous games, looked to be in for another thrashing from the moment full-back Niall Evalds scored one and then drew the defence to create another for Burgess.

Evalds took advantage of awful Hull FC defence to free Mikey Lewis in space and the England half-back ricocheted out of two more weak tackles for another, with James Batchelor scoring his first try of the season.

Lack of a consistent goalkicker was the only thing holding the rampant Robins back as Jez Litten missed the first four conversion attempts.

Litten, in his 100th club appearance, managed to add the extras to the next two tries, as Burgess sent Peta Hiku over and then added his own second touchdown after Hull's indiscipline piled more pressure on themselves.

The Black and Whites rallied in the second half and Okunbor charged down Lewis' kick to race clear and score, while 18-year-old Jack Charles, on as a replacement, engineered another for Scott.

Rovers woke from their brief slumber to re-establish control but Hull FC defended their line much better until fresh replacement Tanginoa charged through two tackles to make sure of a Super League double following their opening-day 22-0 win at MKM Stadium.

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

Interchanges: Parcell, Luckley, Storton, Tanginoa

Hull FC: Hoy, McIntosh, Scott, Sutcliffe, Martin, N. Brown, Smith, Ese'ese, Houghton, Ashworth, Okunbor, Sao, Lane

Interchanges: J. Brown, Charles, Gardiner, Pele

Referee: Liam Moore