Sunday 14 June 2015 18:09, UK
Hull KR kept their top-eight hopes alive with a much-needed 38-16 win over Widnes at the KC Lightstream Stadium.
Rovers went into the game four points behind the top eight after winning just one of their last seven in Super League.
As for Widnes, this was their second successive defeat following their 25-12 loss at home to Hull FC over a week earlier.
Rovers opened the scoring in the seventh minute, turning defence into attack in the blink of an eye as Kris Welham picked off a poor Widnes pass to make 65 metres before being hauled to the ground.
Rovers then won back-to-back penalties before Welham backed himself to score in the left-hand corner. Josh Mantellato added the extras to give the Robins a 6-0 lead.
The lead lasted seven minutes as the Vikings replied when Kevin Brown's kick was allowed to bounce menacingly in the in-goal area and Stefan Marsh was in the right place at the right time to ground the loose ball. Jack Owens missed the conversion to leave the Vikings trailing 6-4.
Maurice Blair's high kick should have been dealt with by Rhys Hanbury, but Welham jumped higher to steal the ball and feed it outside for Mantellato to score. The winger added the extras for a 12-4 lead.
Widnes, needing the win to return to the top eight, were next to score. Kevin Brown finding speed to get to the line on the Vikings' left hand side to close the gap. Owens added the extras to make it 12-10 in Rovers' favour.
It was KR's turn to score and they duly obliged by again going to their left hand side. Mantellato was on hand to finish a flowing move to extend his side's advantage, however, he was unable to add the conversion.
Trailing 16-10, Widnes fell further behind in Rovers' very next set when hooker John Boudebza worked the opening brilliantly before handing the ball off to Albert Kelly to finish in style from 60 metres. Mantellato added the easy conversion as Rovers extended their lead to 22-10.
Rovers still had more to give before the hooter brought an end to the first half as Sio finished a move on the right-hand side to emphasis their dominance in the first 40 minutes. Mantellato missed the conversion but Rovers held a healthy 26-10 lead.
It could have been increased before the players turned around but Mantellato missed a long-range penalty after the half-time hooter.
It took only five minutes of the second half for Rovers to go further in front when Graeme Horne superbly beat his defender and slipped the ball outside for Sio to score his second of the game.
Kelly took over the kicking duties from Mantellato, who was stretchered off moments earlier after unsuccessfully going for the line, and converted for a 32-10 lead.
Chris Dean's try turned out to be nothing more than a consolation try as Rovers ended the game on top.
In the 67th minute, Sio completed his hat-trick with Kelly's conversion making the final score 38-16 to the Robins, who move to within one point of the Vikings.
