Tigers outgunned at Hull KR
Shaun Briscoe helped second-placed Hull KR overcome Castleford 16-6 on Friday night.
Last Updated: 22/05/09 10:13pm
Two tries from Shaun Briscoe helped Hull KR overcome Castleford 16-6 on Friday night to keep up the pace at the engage Super League summit.
The Robins full-back touched down twice in the second-half of a tense encounter at Craven Park, settling the game with his second 11 minutes from time.
Winger and fellow England hopeful Peter Fox opened the scoring for Rovers five minutes in, but the Tigers defence held firm thereafter.
That score was Fox's first in five outings, but Michael Dobson was unable to convert from the touchline and Castleford came right back into the game.
Indeed they felt aggrieved not to have been awarded a penalty try when Kirk Dixon was impeded by Fox out wide at the end of the half.
But referee Gareth Hewer gave only a standard penalty and the Rovers defence held firm to take their 4-0 lead into half-time still intact.
Tight
Hull KR extended their advantage three minutes into the second-half when a well-weighted kick from the ever-probing Dobson bounced perfectly for Briscoe to dive over under the posts.
Dobson's straightforward conversion gave Rovers a healthy cushion but Cas produced the perfect response as they powered forward to force a hole in the home defence.
Mitchell Sargent finished the move as he barged over from close range and Dixon added the extras.
Yet still defences remained on top with Castleford's, in particular, working overtime to cope with the sustained threat of Dobson.
Chev Walker, making his first appearance for Rovers after two months out, also drove close to the Tigers line.
The former Great Britain international managed to offload after being stopped just short but the chance was lost as Ben Fisher knocked on.
Perseverance eventually paid off for Rovers as veteran Stanley Gene burst through with 11 minutes remaining to relieve the tension by setting up Briscoe.
Dobson converted and Rovers duly played out time to secure their fifth successive league win and stay second behind St Helens in the table.
