The game of round twenty-two of Super League XX was undoubtedly at the KC Lightstream Stadium where ninth place Hull KR hosted the East Yorkshire derby against the Black & Whites of Hull FC.

Anything but a win would condemn the Robins to the middle eights dogfight at the expense of their keenest enemy who would have secured the prize of Super Eights and a crack at the Grand Final. KR needed to win by fifty-seven points to get themselves above FC but if they could get themselves level on points then qualification would go down to the last weekend of the season.

In a season where 'every game counts' this one counted more than most.

So far this season it was honours even with one win each, the bookies had made KR slight favourites but only with a two point disadvantage on the handicap coupon. It was a full house, a ground record crowd, the whole of Hull held its breath.

It had been a bruising opening ten minutes and an early casualty was Leon Pryce who picked up shoulder injury. With Pryce a passenger, Shaun Lunt went from acting half-back to scoot over from five metres. Josh Mantellato kicked the conversion for the best possible start for the home side as Pryce left the field.

On fifteen the Airlie Birds opened their account when a pinpoint kick to the corner by Marc Sneyd was juggled and grounded by Steve Michaels. Sneyd missed the conversion from the touchline but his side were on the board.

On twenty six a Albert Kelly kick was collected and passed backwards by Kris Welham into the path of the supporting Josh Mantellato who had a clear run to the line to extend the advantage. He added the two for 12-4 to the red and whites.

Half an hour had gone when Tom Lineham was on the end of a left to right passing move to score in the corner. This time Sneyd kicked a difficult conversion and the margin was back to two points.

Seven minutes before the interval and FC lost Gareth Ellis with an Achilles injury and were down to two interchanges but they were just two points behind on the scoreboard.

With seconds to go until the interval KR spilled the ball on their own forty. FC used the tackles and moved the ball right for Lineham took up a wayward, bounce pass and to step past the last two defenders to grab his second. Sneyd added a difficult conversion and his side took a four point advantage into the break.

It was a rip-roaring start to the second half. On fifty-three a high kick was spilled in the tackle by Ken Sio and pounced on by Michaels for his second of the evening. Sneyd again converted from wide and against adversity FC had some breathing space at 22-12.

KR threw everything that they had at FC in the remaining twenty-five minutes but they couldn't find any way through a resolute defence. Both sides had opportunities to score but the remainder of the game was scoreless and FC took the spoils and condemned their arch enemies to the Middle Eights.

FC will now check on the injuries to Pryce and Ellis and then look to build their side back up for their Super Eights campaign. KR have a cup semi-final to look forward to in a fortnight and after that ensuring that the will be playing Super League in 2016.

KR: Dixon, Mantellato (T, 2G), Welham, Salter, Sio, Blair, Kelly, Tilse, Lunt (T), Puletua, Larroyer, Horne, Burke. Subs: McCarthy, Donaldson, Cockayne, Walker.

FC: Rankin, Lineham (2T), Talanoa, Logan, Michaels (2T), Pryce, Sneyd (3G), Bowden, Houghton, Watts, Ellis, Minichiello, Westerman. Subs: Thompson, Green, Abdull, Whiting.


Referee: Richard Silverwood
Attendance: 11,350