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London Broncos 48 Hull KR 42: Kieran Dixon try double

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London Broncos 48 Hull KR 42: Dixon and Robertson end on a high

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UPDATED:

15:29 GMT, 8 September 2012

Kieran Dixon and Michael Robertson
ran in two tries each as the Broncos ended their Stobart Super League
season on a high by beating Hull KR 48-42.

The full-back and winger grabbed a
try apiece in each half as the Londoners made it four wins from their
final five games of the campaign in a thrilling finale.

Victory is ours: Broncos' Olsi Krasniqi celebrates his try

Victory is ours: Broncos' Olsi Krasniqi celebrates his try

For Rovers it was a disappointing finish having had their play-off hopes ended by Wigan last week.

With David Hodgson missing due to a hamstring tear, Rovers coach Craig Sandercock elected to give a senior debut to winger Nick Johnson.

For the Broncos, Chris Bailey and Dan Sarginson returned to the starting line-up, with hooker Julien Rinaldi beginning his final game before retirement among the replacements.

The hosts made the brighter start, Robertson giving London an early lead when he claimed Luke Dorn's kick to crash over.

Around the Horne: Chris Bailey drives past Hull Kar's Graham Horne to score

Around the Horne: Chris Bailey drives past Hull Kar's Graham Horne to score

And things got even better for the Broncos 10 minutes in, Omari Caro intercepting a Michael Dobson pass and showing an impressive burst of pace to surge the length of the field and touch down.

Battling to ensure they avoided finishing bottom of the pile, it was the men from the capital who were asking most of the questions, prompted by the ever-alert Craig Gower.

London should have stretched further ahead midway through the half, but Chad Randall was unable to wrestle the ball free having wriggled to the line.

Not this time: Hull KR's Nick Johnson is tackled by Mike McMeeken (right) and Olsi Krasniqi (left)

Not this time: Hull KR's Nick Johnson is tackled by Mike McMeeken (right) and Olsi Krasniqi (left)

Ben Galea, in his last game in Rovers colours, was trying hard to lift the visitors, but each time the Robins got deep into London territory a risky pass cost them dear.

And that profligacy came to the fore again after 24 minutes, David Howell blocking a Dobson grubber and engineering a counterattack that saw Chris Bailey release Dixon to scorch home from inside his own half.

Rovers were offering precious little, and London stretched even further ahead when Bailey was first to ground a Gower grubber as it rolled beyond the posts.

Not today: London's Luke Dorn is held up

Not today: London's Luke Dorn is held up

The visitors finally got on the board seven minutes before the break, Micky Paea dumping Olsi Krasniqi on the ground as he rumbled to the line.

Suddenly Rovers had a spring in their step and they added a further try before the break, Richard Beaumont finishing off good work from Dobson.

Any thoughts of a drop in the scoring after the interval were quickly put to bed after 45 minutes, Dixon adding his second score in the corner after good hands from Mark Bryant and Sarginson.

The tries kept on coming, Dave Peterson the next to cross after good work from Craig Hall as Rovers once again hauled themselves back into the contest.

In with a shout: Krasniqi scores for the Broncos

In with a shout: Krasniqi scores for the Broncos

Each time the visitors sniffed a chance though the Londoners hit back, Robertson adding his second score after 55 minutes, with Dobson sin-binned for dissent in the aftermath of the score.

To their credit the Robins did add a score when down to 12 men, Chris Heil burrowing over in the corner.

And things took another turn when Sandercock's men struck again shortly afterwards, Mika shrugging off four tacklers to touch down.

The home fans thought they were able to breathe a sigh of relief when Krasniqi rumbled over after good work from Rinaldi, but they still needed a late Dorn try after Rovers scores from Galea, Mika and Dobson in the closing moments.

Gower was on form with the boot for the home side with eight successful kicks. For Hull KR Dobson landed four kicks and Hall one.

Widnes Vikings 26 Hull KR 32

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Widnes Vikings 26 Hull KR 32: KR Losing streak over as Vikings are slain

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UPDATED:

16:54 GMT, 29 July 2012

Hull KR justified the changes made by coach Craig Sandercock by ending their four-match losing run with victory in a pulsating 11-try Stobart Super League encounter at Widnes.

Rovers fell behind to a Joe Mellor try after 90 seconds but recovered to lead 18-8 at the interval through scores from Michael Dobson, Ryan O'Hara and David Hodgson before Stefan Marsh crossed for the hosts to round off the first-half scoring.

Kurt Haggerty and Danny Craven added second-half tries for Widnes, but they were cancelled out by Ben Galea and Graeme Horne and then Louis Sheriff's late try put the result beyond doubt after Rhys Hanbury's converted try had got the Vikings to within two points of the Robins.

Widnes were without former Wigan and Hull prop Eamon O'Carroll, who broke an arm on his third appearance for the club in last Friday's win over Salford.

He joined skipper Jon Clarke and vice-captain Shaun Briscoe on the sidelines, with Jack Owens having his third outing of the season in place of Cameron Phelps at full-back.

Chris Heil and sub George Griffin made their Super League debuts in a much-changed Rovers line-up after their 32-18 home derby defeat by Hull.

Injuries ruled out Shannon McDonnell and Con Mika, who was also suspended, with Sam Latus and Scott Taylor dropped. In came winger Liam Salter, loose forward Dave Petersen and full-back Sheriff.

Widnes, hammered 36-0 at Craven Park in March, were in confident mood after wins over Castleford and Salford in their last three matches – sandwiched by a one-point loss against St Helens.

The Vikings made a flying start after Joel Clinton conceded an early penalty for a high tackle, and Mellor took Marsh's pass to surge over.

But Rovers hit back immediately, with Dobson working the blind-side to take a return pass from Hodgson and crossing to fire his side into a 6-4 lead.

Widnes lost Ben Cross and try-scorer Mellor with injuries in the first 12 minutes and Rovers grabbed their second try when O'Hara crashed over from Galea's pass to score near the posts.

Josh Hodgson added to the Vikings' problems by going over close to the line after 26 minutes, with Dobson's third conversion making it 18-4.

It would have been worse for Widnes had Marsh raced back to catch David Hodgson after the Rovers winger intercepted a stray pass and looked a certain scorer.

Dobson and Blake Green created havoc for the Vikings' defence but Widnes kept themselves in the hunt when Owens cleverly worked a pass to Marsh, who went over in the corner to cut the interval gap to 18-8.

Hull KR lost the influential Green at half-time and then Sheriff gifted Widnes a try four minutes after the restart when his wild pass was snapped up by Haggerty.

The Widnes substitute gleefully waltzed over under the posts and Hanbury landed his first conversion after two earlier misses.

Rovers skipper Galea halted the Widnes fightback by notching their fourth try to make it 22-14, but Widnes – with David Allen outstanding – cut the gap to two points when Craven collected Willie Isa's speculative kick on the last tackle and Hanbury booted the touchline conversion.

Dobson's 40-20 set up the chance for Horne to respond for Hull KR, who led 28-20 after 62 minutes.

Widnes refused to concede defeat and were back in contention when Hanbury chased Patrick Ah Van's clever kick to win the race to score and convert his own try to reduce the arrears back to two points with seven minutes left.

But Rovers could finally breathe easy when Sheriff went over three minutes from time to settle the contest.

Wakefield 10 Hull KR 22: Michael Dobson injury takes gloss of coach"s first win

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Wakefield 10 Hull KR 22: Dobson injury takes gloss of coach's first win

Injury blow: Michael Dobson

Injury blow: Michael Dobson

Craig Sandercock secured his first
win in charge of Hull KR at Wakefield, although it may
have come at some cost.

The Australian, installed at Craven
Park after Justin Morgan's six-year reign ended, suffered a first-round
loss to Leeds last week, but picked up Super League points for the first
time as his men ran in four tries at a filthy Belle Vue.

The long-term effects may be
damaging, though, with key scrum-half Michael Dobson having to miss the
majority of the game with a shoulder injury.

He was strapped in ice at half-time,
watched the second half out of his kit and, with captain Ben Galea and
fellow playmaker Blake Green already long-term absentees, Sandercock
could do without losing Dobson too.

But despite missing his stand-in captain for over 50 minutes, Sandercock will have been pleased to witness his side having just enough to see off Richard Agar's Trinity, condemning them to a first defeat of the season.

Much of the build-up to the game had been centred around the fall-out from Wakefield's opening-day win at Widnes, with a number of their players having complained about the state of their bodies after suffering cuts on the Vikings' 'iPitch', but conditions on normal grass were little better today.

The pitch was only declared safe four hours prior to kick-off and, up until 30 minutes before the start, steel drums with burning wood inside them were scattered around the pitch in a bid to thaw it out, much to the unhappiness of Sandercock.

His mood will have been improved by his side taking a 12-10 lead into the interval, although the fact that all four of the first period's tries came on the back of penalties will not have pleased either coach.

Rovers were the first to capitalise, opening the scoring in the sixth minute when Micky Paea bundled his way over for his first try in the English game.

It took Wakefield some time to form a response but, when it came in the 18th minute, it was an impressive one.

Their first penalty gave them possession, Isaac John slipped through a gap and Richie Mathers' cut-out pass put Ben Cockayne in at the corner.

Cockayne remains a modern-day hero with Hull KR's fans after a highly-successful six-year spell with the club, with his second try of the season coming on his first appearance against his former employers.

Unlike Dobson at the other end, John was unable to convert the try and before too long, Dobson was adding the extras to another four-pointer.

Con Mika was the scorer on this occasion, diving over after Jake Webster got up the highest to claim Dobson's chip kick.

That would be Dobson's last action as he left soon after and within minutes his side had been pegged back.

Cockayne had a try chalked off for a forward pass by Danny Washbrook but, with 31 minutes gone, Tim Smith's reverse pass cut Rovers open and allowed another of their former players, Andy Raleigh, to cruise in, with John successful with the boot.

Wakefield's hopes of turning around the two-point deficit improved seven minutes into the second half when Scott Taylor was sin-binned for holding down Cockayne, although they needed nine of his missing minutes to create a chance and, when they did, Frankie Mariano dropped the ball with the line begging.

Their failure to cash in on their numerical advantage would cost them too as, with 58 minutes gone, Josh Hodgson charged through their line for a third try, with Craig Hall missing the goal.

Wakefield scrambled desperately for a response, but their hopes were ended when Rhys Lovegrove, on the pitch despite concussion, reached out for the line with nine minutes remaining.

Ben Galea named as Hull KR captain

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Aussie Galea is “over the moon” to be named Hull KR captain

Stop there: Ben Galea tackles Hull

Stop there: Ben Galea tackles Hull”s Tom Briscoe

Hull KP have named Ben Galea as their captain for the 2012 season.

The 33-year-old Australian, who joined the Robins from Wests Tigers in 2008, replaces Mick Vella who did the job for four seasons before retiring in September.

An NRL winner with Wests in 2005, Galea will be assisted by half-back duo Michael Dobson and Blake Green, with new coach Craig Sandercock favouring Galea`s experience.

“I”m over the moon to be named as captain,” Galea said.

“It”s been something that I”ve always wanted to do and I”m extremely grateful that Sandy (Craig Sandercock) has given me the chance to do so.

“We have a great group of players here and a strong group of leaders who I”m sure will give me great support. Hull KR is a club with a fantastic history that has had many great captains and I hope that I can do a great job for the club and its supporters in 2012.”

Sandercock added: “It was a very, very close decision between Benny, Michael Dobson and Blake Green

“All three of them have shown some outstanding leadership qualities since day one of pre-season training, but in the end Ben just got the nod because of his experience.”