KR equal record with 14-try romp

Abstract

[Sebastien Martins] managed to offload to Tommy Gallagher who combined brilliantly with [James Webster] and [Scottie Murrell] before taking the final pass over the Oldham line for his fifth try in the last five games for the loose forward who moved to hooker in the second half.

David Tangata-Toa and Martins sprang the Oldham defence, allowing Webster to nip through the smallest of gaps to score.

[Oldham] were no match for Rovers' forwards, especially Martins and [Michael Smith].

Hull Kr brushed aside hapless Oldham on their way to equalling the club's 40-year-old record for consecutive wins with an 80-6 victory at Craven Park.

Jon Steel grabbed a hat-trick in the 14-try romp but it was French loan Rover Sebastien Martins who stole the show with his best performance in a red and white shirt yet.

It's easy to see why Rovers' coach Justin Morgan wants to extend the 21-year-old's stay in England

"I thought Sebastien Martins had an absolute blinder and there were 17 really good footballers out there.

"I thought the second half was one of the best we have had all year. We showed a high level of skill and determination.

"Scottie Murrell has played a lot of rugby this year and he has been very instrumental in the team so far this year.

"This was an opportunity to give him a bit of a breather.

"As a coach it's not all about the day of the game, it's about thinking of the future games."

The most important thing to come from the game for Rovers ahead of next week's big game was a clean bill of health for those who played.

As for Oldham, it was always going to be a tough ask for Steve Deakin's side and for Deakin in particular, who was ill in the run up to this game.

If he was sick beforehand, what must he have been like afterwards?

Martins wasted little time giving Rovers the lead after just 68 seconds.

A powerful burst through three would be tacklers saw him stretch his big frame over the line for his first ever try in English rugby.

Gareth Morton converted the first of 12 successful kicks.

Morton was held up over the line before Jon Steel finished off a well worked try involving Ben Fisher and James Webster.

Steel dived over in the right hand corner.

Morton missed with the goal although he didn't have too long to wait for his next attempt.

Martins' power was simply too much for Oldham to handle.

The Frenchman's run in the 16th minute attracted four tacklers to Les Catalans employee.

But Martins managed to offload to Tommy Gallagher who combined brilliantly with Webster and Murrell before taking the final pass over the Oldham line for his fifth try in the last five games for the loose forward who moved to hooker in the second half.

Rovers wanted a fast start and they made sure the game was out of Oldham's reach by the midway stage of the first half.

David Tangata-Toa and Martins sprang the Oldham defence, allowing Webster to nip through the smallest of gaps to score.

It was a case of men versus boys and worse followed for the Roughyeds who lost Andy Bailey, Gareth Hayes and Tom Kilgannon to injuries inside three minutes.

Murrell was next over the line, taking a scoring pass from his half-back partner Webster.

In the 31st minute Jon Steel was sent clear by Ben Fisher who recovered a knock-on following Webster's chip over the top before Gareth Barber reduced the arrears with a try and conversion.

Just as the hooter sounded for half-time, Michael Smith touched down under the posts. Morton goaled for a 40-6 interval lead.

Forty points in the first half were matched in the second as Jon Goddard commenced the scoring in the second half from a broken play in Rovers' first possession.

Webster's pass went to ground and was picked up by Murrell, who handed off to Goddard to score against his former team.

Oldham were no match for Rovers' forwards, especially Martins and Smith.

Smith grabbed his second, taking Webster's pass over the line.

Tangata-Toa squandered a try before Morton capitalised on good work by Gareth Price in the 62nd minute. Morton's conversion made it 58-6.

Oldham struggled with 13 against 13 and their problems were confounded further when Lee Wingfield was sent off for a high shot on Byron Ford.

Rovers ran in four tries against the weakened Roughyeds.

Ford, the victim of Wingfield's foul play, dived over two minutes after the dismissal.

Jon Steel completed his hat-trick in the 71st minute after great play involving Murrell, Dwayne Barker and Morton.

There was still a lot of work for Steel to do to score, but the winger backed himself to score and he did.

Phil Joseph went over in the 75th minute making the most of great play by Goddard and Ford on the left wing. Rovers' penultimate try also came from the left hand side.

Goddard and Ford again exchanged passes before possession was temporarily lost.

Goddard won the ball back and carried the move on for Joseph to barge over.

But the biggest cheer of the day was reserved for prop Gareth Price who scored his first ever Rovers try.

Although he had to go around the houses to do it, it was worth the celebration that included Justin Morgan and the Rovers bench.

Rovers can now turn their full attention to the Challenge Cup quarter final although they might have to play that game without Francis Stephenson and Damien Couturier who according to Morgan, are "on the wrong side of 50/50".