Super League: Hull KR score 28 second-half points to sink Wildcats

Rovers trailed 18-16 at half-time but scored 28 points without reply in the second half to secure a comfortable victory that lifts them into Super League's top-eight play-offs at the expense of St Helens and eases the pressure on coach Craig Sandercock.

Winger Luke George, who is on loan from Huddersfield, and forwards Rhys Lovegrove and Graeme Horne all scored two tries apiece in an error-strewn match at MS3 Craven Park.

Wakefield's late collapse will alarm coach Richard Agar but the warning signs were there in the opening quarter when Rovers half-backs Michael Dobson and Travis Burns capitalised on their handling lapses to work their side into a 12-0 lead after 18 minutes.

Burns' perfectly-judged short pass got Horne over for his first try after only seven minutes and on 18 Dobson's delayed pass got Lovegrove through a gap and centre Kris Welham got former Wakefield player George over for his first try for the club.

Dobson kicked both goals to make it 12-0 but Wakefield worked their way upfield and impressive centre Dean Collis produced an exceptional turn of pace to open his side's account with a try on 23 minutes.

Within four minutes Kyle Wood and Mellars combined to get Cockayne over at the other corner and Lee Smith's conversion closed the gap to just two points.

Hull KR almost extended their lead when Lovegrove got over the line but was turned on his back by full-back Richard Mathers, who then provided the long pass for Lee Smith to finish strongly at the corner for his side's third try.

As the game swung from end to end, Dobson and Burns combined to get Horne over for his second try three minutes before the break to level the scores and Smith edged the visitors back in front on the stroke of half-time with a penalty.

The lead changed hands once more within five minutes of the restart when a rampaging Liam Salter was brought down short of the Wakefield line before Horne's kick on the last tackle found full-back Craig Hall for Hull KR's fourth try.

Dobson kicked his third goal to make it 22-18 and, with the game still finely balanced, George took Welham's pass to score his second try on 56 minutes and, as the Wildcats began to tire, Lovegrove powered his way over for a solo try and substitute prop Adam Walker offloaded from the tackle to get loose forward Con Mika over.

Wakefield finished a badly-beaten team and Lovegrove tore through some more poor defence to claim his second try nine minutes from the end and Dobson took his goal tally to six from eight attempts.