In a crucial Sunday Qualifiers Super 8s game, top of the table Widnes Vikings were up against third placed Hull KR with both sides locked together on four points having won both of their opening two games.

A win for either side would go a long way to guaranteeing them Super League rugby in 2016 but a loss would throw them right into the nail-biting mid-table tussle and chance of ending up in the 'million pound match' come the end of the seven game series.

With one eye on next weeks cup final, Chris Chester rested a handful of regulars making the home side the runaway favourites with the bookies and pundits.

In poor conditions it was an abysmal start to the game with unforced errors from both sides. As the half wore on the majority of the play-the-balls were in the middle forty of the field and neither side looked like opening the scoring as passes went to ground and balls slipped from hands.

It took until three minutes before the interval for the deadlock to be broken. The first, and only, try of the half went the way of Hull KR when on the last tackle a kick to goal by Matthew Marsh was allowed to bounce by Vikings full back Rhys Hanbury, and Kris Welham collected the ball after its first bounce and dropped to the ground. Josh Matellato slotted over the extras from directly in front for 6-0.

Four minutes into the second half and Denis Betts's half time talk worked its' magic. When Rhys Hanbury crabbed to the left he found Chris Clarkson in support to dip the shoulder and ground in the corner. Lloyd White failed to add the conversion and the home side still trailed by two points.

KR debutant George Lawler was the beneficiary on fifty-four after Kevin Brown failed to collect a Matthew Marsh kick towards the post padding. The ball dropped just over the line as Brown collided with the upright and Lawler reacted the quickest to ground the ball. Mantellato kicked the two and there was now breathing space for the Robins at 12-4.

It was too little, too late, when Matt Whitley spun over after breaks from Lloyd White and Rhys Hanbury to get Widnes's second try of the afternoon. They denied the opportunity of the kick and asked KR to kick straight off.

There was just one play left before the hooter sounded and the Robins held on for a very hard fought 12-8 win.

The game was won through a robust Robins defence which thwarted repeated Vikings second half attacks. A heavily weakened side went top of the Qualifying Super 8s and put in the perfect preparation ahead of next Saturday's trip to Wembley to take on the Leeds Rhinos in the Challenge Cup Final.

With a heavy defeat for Salford at Bradford the Red Devils have slipped from second to fifth, with KR now the only side unbeaten in the Qualifiers as the Bulls move up to third spot ahead of the Wildcats in fourth.

Vikings: Hanbury, Flynn, Dean, Runciman, Marsh, Brown, Mellor, Gerrard, White, Dudson, Tickle, Galea, Cahill. Subs: Heremaia, Clarkson (T), Manuokafoa, Whitley (T).

KR: Dixon, Cockayne, Salter, Welham (T), Mantellato (2G), Marsh, Chisholm, Allgood, Boudebza, Tilse, Ollett, Blair, Burke. Subs: Lawler (T), Greenwood, Donaldson, Green.

Referee: Joe Cobb
Attendance: 6,238