Hull KR hold on for thrilling win against Leigh
Hull KR held on for a stunning Super League victory against Leigh Leopards, who mounted an incredible second-half comeback. Jacob Alick-Wiencke sent Leigh ahead after Rhyse Martin had given Hull KR the lead with the boot but the Robins went back in front through Peta Hiku. Tom Davies continued Hull KR's momentum and Arthur Mourgue scored a sensational try to follow, but virtually on the hooter Mikey Lewis was sent to the bin.
Josh Charnley and Jack Hughes touched down in an attritional second half to get Leigh back to within touching distance of victory, but Hull KR held on in a thrilling finale. Castleford edge out York in rollercoaster encounter Hull KR have now won eight games in a row and move up to fourth in the table, while Leigh remain seventh in the aftermath of their narrow loss. Alick-Wiencke's opening try for Leigh came as the hosts found a way through the Robins' defence, leading him to race through with ease.
A hostile atmosphere from the home fans greeted KR but their first try came via a Leigh error as a mistaken hand to a pass sent the ball in touch, giving their opponents another set of six. That bolstered the visitors, who had already gained significant territory and Hiku duly spun his way through the Leigh defence to touch down. They were not done there - Davies went for his sixth try this term as Leigh failed to pick him up on the wing, leading to him sliding over at the corner.
Mourgue, who had been out injured since Hull KR's World Club Challenge win over Brisbane Broncos in February, showed individual brilliance on his return to action as he weaved his way through with ease to further pad out the visitors' lead. A rare blip on a well controlled first half was when Lewis was sent to the bin right on half-time for holding on too long in the tackle as Leigh tried a last-ditch break to score before the hooter. There was another blow for Hull KR however, as Mourgue went off with what appeared to be a repeat of the pectoral injury he sustained against Brisbane.
Leigh's comeback then gathered momentum as Charnley and Hughes crashed over within a matter of minutes to claw down the deficit to just four points with less than 10 minutes remaining. And the hosts could have won it were it not for the quick thinking of Joe Burgess, who put in a match-saving tackle to deny Lachlan Lam after Edwin Ipape had sent him through. Leigh: Armstrong; Senior, Niu, Hanley, Charnley; Cook, Lam; Ofahengaue, Ipape, Trout, Halton, Alick-Wiencke, Liu.