| Shell KR (18) 28 |
| Try: Hall, Zenon, Linnett, Kenny-Dowall, Hadley Goals: Milnes 4 |
| Salford (0) 10 |
| Try: Lafai, Burgess Goals: Sneyd |
Hull KR put aside their recent Super League woes to beat Salford Red Devils to reach their second straight Challenge Cup semi-final.
Tries from Ryan Hall, Tanguy Zenon and Kane Linnett rolled Rovers to 18-0, with their third scoring on a man just before the break.
Tim Lafai grabbed Salford’s first points immediately after the break.
Shaun Kenny-Dowell and Dean Hadley try to seal the victory for Rovers before Joe Burgess scores Salford’s second goal.
Hull KR’s progress in the cup came amid a miserable run of four Super League defeats.
Their only two wins in the past five weeks have been in the knockout competition, including their 50-0 thrashing of Championship part-timer Batley in the previous round.
Defeat for the Super League high-flyers, Salford snapped a four-game winning streak – which included a Magic Weekend win over Rovers.
Hall energized the home crowd early on as he powered into the corner for the first down of the game.
Rovers did well to limit Salford in response and then added to their advantage midway through the first half, Zenon landing under the posts on his debut after being loaned out by the Catalan Dragons this week.
The hosts have ended a one-man half with Elliot Minchella convicted for his involvement in a fight with Jack Ormondroyd.
Immediately after Rovers brought down a man, the Red Devils had their best first-half chance to withdraw a try, but lacked composure as Adam Sidlow struck close to the line.
Despite being shorthanded, Rovers added to their lead with the final game of half, Linnett collapsing after Mikey Lewis grabbed the winners with a quick kick and running from a penalty.
A superb offload from Joe Burgess under pressure sent Lafai for Salford’s first game points shortly after the restart.
It breathed life into the Red Devils after a lackluster first 40 minutes, but it was Rovers who then secured the crucial next scoreline through captain Kenny-Dowall.
Hadley got a grubber kick from Rowan Milnes to ensure the hosts progressed into the last four, while a last-minute try from Burgess added some respectability to the scoreline for the visitors.
Hull KR head coach Willie Peters:
“It was a great performance and obviously that was what we needed.
“I’m sure everyone here still believed in the players, but they had to go out and perform and believe in themselves that they can still play that style.
“We don’t want to look at who’s not playing, it’s about who’s playing. The players there today are the ones who were knocking on the door and you want players who are ready to step in and play and put a Performance KR.”
Salford Red Devils boss Paul Rowley:
“We made some minor mistakes and didn’t apply ourselves well enough or physically enough in defense throughout the game.
“Generally the big games are never the most glamorous, they’re about discipline with the ball and physical application in defense and I don’t think we’ve done that.
“We’re a good enough team to come back from that. We’re not a team that lingers too long, we move pretty fast, but it’s hard to change a trend when you don’t apply yourself from the start.”
KR hull: Zenon, Senior, Opacic, Kenny-Dowall, R Hall, Lewis, Milnes, King, Litten, Luckley, Hadley, Linnett, Minchella.
Trades : Parcell, Kennedy, Storton, Aydin.
Salford: Brierley, Sio, Cross, Lafai, Burgess, Croft, Sneyd, Dupree, Atkin, Vuniyayawa, Watkins, Stone, Partington.
Trades : Bourouh, Ormondroyd, Sidlow, Hellewell.
Arbitrator: Ben Thaler.