Top of the table Hull KR welcomed fifth place Bradford Bulls to East Hull for a crucial qualifiers 8s game which could see KR almost guaranteed Super League rugby in 2016 or plunged right back into the dogfight.
A win for the Bulls could see them up to third, depending on points difference, and right back in the chase for their own Super League place.
The bookies thought that a KR win was a formality and had made them odds-on favourites but would Jimmy Lowes Bulls have a different idea?
Six minutes in and Bradford's Danny Williams was sin-binned for a professional foul for delaying a kick-off and immediately the underdogs were up against it.
The home side hit the front on eleven minutes when a Passing move put Josh Mantellato over by the left corner flag to ground. Referee Thaler went to the video referee but there was no doubt and the try was given. Mantellato missed the conversion and the lead was just four.
Bradford drew level on twenty-five when a fast Adrian Purtell pass put James Mendeika in at the corner. Danny Addy failed to convert and the sides were tied.
Just after the half-hour a diving effort from Mantellato saw him get his second, again in the corner, but again he failed to add the conversion. Within three minutes Kieran Dixon evaded four tacklers to score one-handed in the right corner. Mantellato was having a poor afternoon with the boot and missed again.
One minute from the interval and Epalahame Lauaki was sin-binned for a hand in the face and the Bulls were self-destructing and heading into the interval eight points down.
It took KR two minutes of the second half to add to their tally when Dixon added his second of the match, Mantellato again failing to convert and three minutes later Dane Chisolm dipped both shoulders to evade two Bulls tacklers and cross under the sticks giving Mantellato a simple goal for 22-4.
On fifty-five a KR kick through was knocked-on and from the scrum the ball was moved right and Ken Sio went over. Mantellato kicked well from the touchline for 28-4 and it was all over for the Bulls.
On fifth-nine Kris Welham went fifty metres, throwing a dummy on the way to score and when Mantellato missed the extras but it was 32-4 and the Robins were planning their Super League 2016 campaign.
Ten minutes from the end and a spectacular try as Dixon put in a grubber which was knocked back into goal by Marsh and grounded by Graeme Horne as the Bulls players stood and watched. Mantellato added the goal and at 38-4 it was a comprehensive KR victory.
Another Bulls knock-on allowed Kieran Dixon to go over for his hat-trick as the Bulls tacklers fell off the tackler. Mantellato,was having a bad afternoon with the boot and missed again.
On the final hooter Dixon got his fourth of the afternoon as KR kept the ball alive. Dixon had a go at the conversion and made a better job of it than Mantellato had for 48-4.
KR made it five from five in the Qualifiers and guaranteed themselves a place in the top flight next season. It is back to the drawing board for the Bulls as they now set their sights on finishing fifth and the million pound game.
KR: Sio (T), Dixon (4T, G), Horne (T), Welham (T), Mantellato (2T, 3G), Marsh, Chisholm (T), Allgood, Lunt, Puletua, Blair, McCarthy, Donaldson. Subs: Boudebza, Burke, Tilse, Green.
Bulls: Mandeika, Caro, Nielsen, Walker, Williams (SB), Purtell (T), Williams, Addy, Clough, O'Brien, Sidlow, Olbison, Ryan, Pitts. Subs: Siejka, Ferguson, Lauki (SB), Crossley.
Referee: Ben Thaler
Attendance:
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