Sheffield Eagles off to flier as Super League giants Hull KR seen off in friendly

Mark Aston handed starts to four players who joined the club in the off-season.

Matty Marsh lined-up at full back against his former side, James Glover slotted into the centres, whilst Eddie Battye and Mitch Clark fronted up the forward pack.

Hull KR head coach Willie Peters named a mixed side, consisting of experience and youth, with eight academy players being involved within the Super League side’s matchday squad.

It was a dream start for the Eagles, as strong attacking pressure from the visitors in the early exchanges paid off as a well-worked routine from a scrum saw Ben Jones-Bishop receive the ball out wide, before touching down wide after six minutes for the game’s first score.

Sheffield continued to enjoy early spells of attacking pressure and they doubled their lead in the ninth minute.

Aston played a short ball to the left to Joel Farrell, who crashed over to score from close-range.

With many youngsters featuring for the Robins, it was young full-back Louix Gorman who stood out for the hosts, and he was the one who pulled Hull KR back into the contest with five minutes to go after latching onto Lennie Ellis’ pass to score to the left of the sticks.

The hosts went back-to-back and ensured they headed into the sheds leading at the break.

After home forward Leo Tennison’s good run down the middle was stopped, off-season recruit AJ Wallace received the ball before crashing under the posts to score.

Gorman added the extras with the boot for both tries, ensuring Hull KR led 12-10 at the break.

The home side started the second period exactly how they ended the first and they went on to score a third try of the afternoon only three minutes after the restart.

Young half-back Ellis spotted a gap to dive through to score, with Gorman once again adding the extras.

Shortly after, Jones-Bishop earned himself a further two tries to complete his hat-trick by the hour mark, firstly meeting Izaac Farrell’s smart grubber through the host’s defensive line, before meeting Aston’s Crossfield kick minutes later and produced a smart diving finish in the corner to bring the game level at 18-a-piece.

Momentum was certainly with the Eagles once again and they scored again minutes later to finally go back in front.

Aston was picked out as first receiver from dummy half, before running fiercely at the try line and powered his way over to score and put the Eagles into a 22-18 lead.

Things only got better for Aston’s men as they again scored out wide, which all but secured the win for the Eagles.

The ball was again shifted towards the right edge before Ryan Johnson ran at the Hull KR line and produced a stunning try-scoring effort in the corner. Joel Farrell took over with the boot from Aston, but he was unable to add the extras having competed against a biting wind in East Yorkshire.

Hull KR later went on to add a late try as they looked to produce a late comeback.

Gorman produced a superb solo try for his second of the afternoon after collecting the ball deep in his own half, before racing away through the Eagles defence to touch down to score.

He did add the extras, but it wouldn’t prove to be enough as Eagles held on for a deserved 26-24 win.

Ahead of the Betfred Championship season starting in the middle of March, attention now turns to cup action as the Challenge Cup and AB Sundecks 1895 Group stage get under way.