The robins ran in seven unanswered first half tries, including a hat-trick for Matt Calland, to go in at the break 36-0 up with the game as good as finished. Rovers opened the scoring in the second minute when Andy Ellis set off on a 40 metre dash sending Dean Andrews over the visitors? line.

Andrews failed to ground the ball but the visitors then gave a penalty away for holding down in the tackle. The result of this saw kiwi half-back Paul Mansson scooting over near the left corner for an unconverted try.

Five minutes later and the host were over their opponent?s line again. Mansson got Craig Poucher on his way and the full-back off loaded the ball inside to the supporting Ellis. The promising young hooker made no mistake in getting the ball down as he dived under the post for a try converted by Scott Thorburn, his first of seven successful attempts.

 

The try scoring continued almost relentlessly as Calland crossed the whitewash for his first try of the afternoon, Andrews again involved in the build up making the initial break. As the opening quarter passed with the robins leading 14-0, Calland saw a try ruled out when Poucher was deemed to give a forward pass.

Moments later and the same two combined again down the left as Calland took the ball from Poucher to dummy his way over again, this time getting his second of the half. Four minutes later and Rovers had extended their lead to 26-0 as Anthony Seibold forced his way over for a converted try following a close effort which saw Papuan Makali Aizue come inches short of the line.

Calland was than in again for Hull KR to complete a first half hat-trick on his return from an illness that ruled him out the previous two games. The centre chased a neat little grubber kick from Mansson through to score in the left corner, this side was showing to be a weak area for Skolars.

The hat-trick hero then turned provider before the break finding Aizue. The Papuan handed the ball onto Andrews in the Rovers half and the second row forward cheekily dummied several defenders, including a gem on full-back Joel Osborn, before sending winger Casey Mayberry speeding away towards that left corner.

Moments after the interval Rovers got a stark warning that their NL2 opponents would not lay down. Some sloppy defending saw Skolars forward Mark Cantoni squeeze over in the right corner, Osborn towered a fine touchline conversion for a mere consolation as this proved to be London?s only points of the game.

Andrews was soon to get his reward for a great performance on his first outing this year. Some more good work from the half-back pairing of Mansson and Thorburn got the ball out for Deano to be on hand to score. Thorburn?s conversion attempt was unsuccessful, but Rovers had increased their lead to 40-6.

Dale Holdstock touched down in the 50th minute for a converted try before the host took the foot of the gas as no doubt the heavy rain-soaked pitch was starting to take its toll. With tempers rising during a scrappy spell, the home side found that extra gear again to cross the London line on two more occasions in the final thirteen minutes.

Thorburn went in under the post for a try which the Aussie again converted before centre Paul Parker rounded off the scoring. Thorburn, Poucher, Mansson and Calland made the telling damage spreading the ball wide before Mayberry threw an inside pass towards Parker?s direction.

The pass appeared to be forward but it struck a London player on the hand in flight, and Parker was on hand to grab the ball safely to score under the post. Thorburn finished the afternoons scoring for the robins making his own personal haul of eighteen points, converting Parker?s try.

Rovers now have another weekend off due to the Challenge Cup fixtures, but they again have that extra time to let any minor knocks heel before next Friday?s game at Don Valley Stadium. More good news came from the camp as well, as Marvin Golden and Nick Pinkney look likely to return from their long term injuries soon.