Two sides who got their 2025 season off to winning ways in round one met in Wakefield for a round two Thursday night fixture with Hull KR being the visitors to Trinity with an important two points up for grabs and the top of the table beckoning, at least overnight.
The bookies had given Wakefield a twelve point start on the handicap coupon, respectful to the newly promoted home side while sending a clear message that the Robins were the favourites to take the win as they looked to replicate last season’s exceptional form.
The full house notices were up in Wakefield with 8,065 crammed into the stadium.
A bit of luck saw Hull KR open the scoring after good early pressure. A Mikey Lewis kick came back off the crossbar and was picked up by Tom Davies who went in to score under the sticks from just five metres out. Rhyse Martin added the conversion for a 6-0 lead.
Both sides had scoring opportunities over the remainder of the half, but it was KR with the lion share of possession and field position. Neither side could trouble the scorers, two sets of players grinding out strong defensive performances.
With ten seconds of the half remaining Wakefield were awarded a penalty for interference at the play the ball, Max Jowitt slotting the ball between the uprights for 2-6 at the interval.
Two points from the boot of Martin in the forty-seventh minute opened the second half scoring and extended the KR lead, but six minutes later a delightful ball from Jowitt missed out a couple of players and found Tom Johnstone on the wing to go over from ten metres out. Jowitt added the conversion, and the sides were tied up.
It took just three minutes for KR to regain the lead, Lewis finding his way over the line to score by the right upright, the KR talisman picking up an ankle injury in the act if scoring. Martin hit the target for the third time in the game and once again, KR were six ahead.
Lewis lasted another ten minutes with a heavily strapped ankle before limping off the field for the final eleven.
The game was becoming increasingly fractious. With just under five minutes remaining Michael McIlorum was sin-binned for contact with the head, with mitigation.
Within a minute Oliver Pratt exploited the extra man and ran the angle to ground by the right corner flag after the ball had been moved from one touchline to the other, the centre beating three men before crossing. Jowitt was wide of the sticks with the conversion attempt.
Wakefield went close again in the dying seconds but great defence from the visitors maintained their line and they held on for the win by just two points.
A quality game, played at high speed, with defences on top and only broken down by the occasional moment of individual brilliance. It is Hull KR who go to the top of the table ahead of the rest of the games in the round, Wakefield will count themselves as unlucky not to steal the points at the death.
Wakefield Trinity: Jowitt (G 2/3), Walmsley, Pratt (T), Hall, Johnstone (T), Russell, Lino, McMeeken, Doyle, Hamlin-Uele, Croft, Storton, Pitts. Subs: Rourke, Smith, Vagana, Faatili. 18th Man: Shaw.
Hull KR: Evalds, Davies (T), Broadbent, Gildart, Burgess, Lewis (T), Hiku, Sue, McIlorum (SB on 75), Waerea-Hargreaves, Martin (G 3/3), Batchelor, Minchella. Subs: Litten, Hadley, Whitbread, Tanginoa. 18th Man: Brown.
Half-Time: 2-6.
Full-Time: 12-14.
Score Progression: 0-4, 0-6, 2-6 : HT: 2-8, 6-8, 8-8, 8-12, 8-14, (SB), 12-14 :FT.
Lead Exchanges: Hull KR – Square – Hull KR.
Referee: Jack Smith.
