Rugby League: Wakefield 12 - 14 Hull KR

Hull KR ground out a win over Wakefield but suffered an injury blow

They edged past the newly-promoted Wakefield Trinity but suffered a major setback as Man of Steel Mikey Lewis hobbled off with an ankle injury.

Author - Oliver W

The visitors struck first in bizarre fashion when Lewis’ high kick bounced off the crossbar and fell perfectly for Tom Davies, who pounced to score his 100th career try.

Wakefield hit back before the break, with Max Jowitt slotting a penalty before Tom Johnstone finished superbly in the corner to bring them level.

It was a dramatic ending to the match as Hull KR hung on

Lewis then powered over to restore Hull KR’s lead early in the second half, but his joy was short-lived as he picked up an ankle injury in the process, caught awkwardly under a tackler.

Wakefield refused to go away, and Oliver Pratt dived over late on to set up a tense finish, but Jowitt’s conversion attempt drifted wide, denying the hosts a shot at golden point extra time.

Lewis battled on with heavy strapping but was eventually forced to leave the field with just over 10 minutes remaining, adding to Hull KR’s concerns.

Trinity, who impressed with a win at Leeds in their Super League return, pushed last year’s Grand Finalists all the way in front of a packed-out home crowd and will take plenty of encouragement from their performance.

The Robins, who needed golden point to see off Castleford last week, were once again far from their fluent best, but found a way to get the job done.

Post-match images of Lewis on crutches will be a worry for Hull KR fans, with the club now facing an anxious wait to learn the extent of his injury.

A closer look at that crazy start

Best reaction

Despite the defeat, Wakefield fans seemed positive as they begin their return to the highest level of Rugby League in England.

One fan told us: "It was a tight game and I thought we were excellent. Clearly, we had a couple of players out injured,.but we're not a million miles away from a side that did so well last season."

Another Wakefield supporter added: "We've lost a tight game and the players should be proud of their performance. It looks like we've got a genuine team and will cause some of the established Super League teams problems this season."