Hull KR score remarkable 40-point comeback to defeat Catalans Dragons

Ken Sio scored a hat-trick for Rovers against Catalans

Hull KR scored 40 unanswered second-half points to claim a remarkable 50-20 comeback win over Catalans Dragons and climb off the bottom of the Super League table.

Rovers trailed 20-4 during the first half on Sunday and looked set for another defeat but staged an unbelievable rally to take the spoils as Catalans were blown away after half-time at the KC Lightstream Stadium.

Slick passing and determined defending kept the French side out as Chris Chester's men, who ran in nine tries including seven after the interval, enjoyed their best day of the season so far.

Ken Sio led the way with a hat-trick of tries while Ben Cockayne and debutant Shaun Lunt claimed a pair each. Albert Kelly and Liam Salter were also on the scoresheet for the hosts, with Josh Mantellato slotting over seven conversions.

Catalans ran in four tries, but all of them came during the first half as they could find no way through in a one-sided second period.

Few would have predicted the final scoreline as the Dragons opened the scoring just two minutes in through Willie Tonga.

Rovers responded with a try from Sio in the 16th minute but the Dragons restored their lead when Michael Oldfield scored the third unconverted try of the half in the 25th minute - two minutes after KR prop Mitch Allgood was sin-binned for his part in an off-the-ball flare-up with Scott Dureau.

The Dragons capitalised on their numerical advantage when Remi Casty stretched over the line to score in the 28th minute before Eloi Pelissier further increased their lead. Dureau converted both tries to put the visitors 20-4 ahead
with five minutes of the first half remaining.

At that point, it looked as though there was only one outcome to the match, but Rovers had other ideas.

They gave themselves a timely boost when Cockayne scored on the stroke of half-time after great work by Kris Welham, allowing the hosts to reduce the deficit to 20-10 at the break thanks to Mantellato's conversion.

Catalans would still have been in optimistic mood at the midway point of the match, but that would not have lasted long as Rovers staged an incredible second-half onslaught.

Albert Kelly added to his try collection with a superb 40-metres effort converted by Mantellato, who four minutes later added the extras to Sio's second try of the game to give Rovers the lead for the first time at 22-20.

Rovers never looked back as the tries continued to flow, with Sio completing his hat-trick in the 57th minute.

Newcomer Lunt then got in on the scoring, with his first Rovers try in the 59th minute following up good work by Terry Campese.

Salter was next over as Rovers continued to run riot before Lunt got his second. Cockayne also doubled up with his second try of the afternoon in the 75th minute with Mantellato converting to seal a breathtaking win.