Wigan win Hubcap

farmduck

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**Hull KR 36-42 Wigan Warriors**

Hull KR (26) 36

Tries: Hall, Withers 2, Galea, Webster, Hodgson
Goals: Dobson 6

Wigan Warriors (12) 42

Tries: Finch, Goulding, Hock, Richards 2, Carmont, Farrell, Charnley
Goals: Richards 5

Wigan pulled off the greatest comeback in Super League history to beat Hull KR and win the League Leader's Shield.

Rovers led 26-0 as Craig Hall, Lincoln Withers, Ben Galea and Jake Webster crossed, but Brett Finch and Darrell Goulding made it 26-12 at the break.

Withers scored after the break but Gareth Hock and Pat Richards went over to pull the score back to 32-22.
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David Hodgson crossed for Hull KR but George Carmont, Liam Farrell, Richards and Josh Charnley crossed for Wigan.

The stunning victory, eclipsing their comeback from 30-6 down to beat Bradford in the 2007 play-offs, clinched a first piece of silverware for Shaun Wane as Wigan coach.

It leaves Hull KR unlikely to reach the play-offs.

The result that seemed far from possible in the first half as Warriors were forced into numerous mistakes by their hosts.

Wigan did not get a point on the board until Finch's 37th-minute try but they managed to close the gap to 14 points at half-time.

The hosts stretched their lead to 20 points as Michael Dobson's kick through was grounded by Withers under the posts, with the former adding the conversion - one of his six successful kicks.

But from then on, Hodgson's try aside, it was one-way traffic with Warriors rampant in their quest for the League Leader's Shield.

Richards twice went over, to add to his 10 points with the boot, while Hock, Carmont, Farrell and Charnley also crossed to complete a famous comeback.

**VIEWS FROM THE DRESSING ROOM**

Wigan coach Shaun Wane:

"There were times when I thought we needed to change things quickly.

"Messages were sent out onto the pitch and Tommy Leuluai helped change the game our way.

"What I do have is great team spirit with a never-say-die attitude with the senior players that rubbed off on the junior players.

"I'm really pleased because I really wanted to win this game. As it turned out, we won it (although) not in the way I would have liked."

Hull KR coach Craig Sandercock:

"Our defence was disappointing at times but after 35 minutes I wouldn't have said that.

"Unfortunately that has been the story of our season. All week we have been talking about the last five minutes of halves and we let them get 12 points.

"They capitalised on some errors on tackle one. You can't make errors against these top sides. We did and we paid the price."

**SUNDAY'S LINE-UPS**

Hull KR: Sheriff, Salter, Horne, Webster, D. Hodgson, Hall, Dobson, Taylor, Withers, Paea, Mika, Galea, Lovegrove.

Replacements: J. Hodgson, Netherton, Cox, O'Hara.

Wigan: S. Tomkins, Charnley, Goulding, Carmont, Richards, Finch, Smith, Lima, McIlorum, Flower, Hansen, Hock, O'Loughlin.

Replacements: Leuluai, Mossop, Farrell, Hughes.

Referee: T Alibert (Toulouse).

Attendance: 8,845
 
I'm rather surprised that a club like Hull KR who are in semi final contention as I write this can draw such poor crowds, I have read on other forums that because of the state of the economy in the UK that fans no longer have the spare money to go to sporting events but Hull KR who don't draw a lot of fans are having a new million pound stand built.
 
Sadly, that's a reasonable crowd by SL standards, particularly for a club in the bottom half of SL. The most embarrassing one this year was when London Broncos played a Challenge Cup game against Gateshead at Gateshead - approx 200-300\. Yes, that's hundred, not thousand.
 
Fortunately Wigan played with a far bigger crowd watching them on the weekend against St Helens, unfortunately what should have been a tremendous occaision was ruined when the Wigan hooker got himeself sent off.
While on the subject of Hull KR, Ben Galea has reconsidered his retirement & has signed up with the Rovers arch enemies in Hull FC coached by former Tigers assistant coach Peter Gentle, he must feel another premiership is in the air!, something that is far from happening at the moment on the other side of the Humber.
 
The Black'n'Whites also announced the signing of Daniel Holdsworth today. At 28, and coming off a very good season for Salford, this is a good signing, by SL standards.
 
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