Hornets started from the gun. After just 3 minutes, Gorski slipped the ball to Royle on half way; Royle lined up Rivett - not for the last time in the afternoon - Gorski went back for the inside pass ansd scooted under the black dot. McCully converted; adding a penalty shortly afterwards. Hornets 8-nil to the good and Hull KR visibly shellshocked.

Having been gifted easy metres by over-zealous referee Mr Bentham, Hull KR eventually raised an attac of their own volition, Couturier looking certain to score before he was hit by an Exocet crash tackle by the superb Royle.

With the penalty count mounting, Rovers' sheer weight of possession had to tell and, after forcing a drop out, Morton made the extra man out wide to score.

With both posession and momentum, Hull KR began to look dangerous - another string of penalties contributing to Webster's try after 24 minutes. But Hornets hit back.

Just past the half hour a rare foray into Robins' territory saw Radney Bowker put a pinpoint pass onto a rampaging Richard Varkulis and he blasted through tacklers to put Hornets back in front.

But with the hooter iminent, Hornets switched off just long enough for Rivett to make his one constructive contribution of the afternoon - rounding off a 70 metre move to score and send Hull KR in 12-16 up at the break.

The second half started much like the first had finished: Hornets entrenched in their own 20 metre zone while Hull KR tried everything they knew to break down a resolute defence. Having soaked up Rovers' best shots, Hornets stepped up a gear.

Good forward play from Rob Ball and Gareth Price took Hornets close to the Hull KR line. Phil Cantillon spotted half a gap and accellerated underneath three tacklers to score. Two minutes later, Gareth Price took the ball at pace and skittled defenders on a no-nonsense 20-metre run for the line. Then - on 67 minutes - the coup de grace.

Mark McCully drove the ball to the gain line and, while defenders flailed around him, smuggled the ball to Nicky Royle. Royle hit the overdrive button and ripped away down the touchline. Leroy Rivett came across to cover; Royle backed himself on the outside and a last second shimmy left Rivett clutching at air as he swept through for a spectacular 70 metre effort that brought the main stand to its feet. McCully added the extras and with Hornets 30-16 up, the Hull KR fans headed for the exits.

Some late foootball by Rovers exploited a Hornetrs defence that had tackled itself to a standstill, but two late tries were merely consolation for a Hull KR side that had come a distant second in the passion stakes.

This was a gutsy performance from Hornets. On the back foot for long tracts of the game, they still found the wherewithal to play incisive football on the back of a gargantuan defensive effort.

Hornets will have to do it all again next week when Whitehaven come to Spotland needing a win to secure the minor premiership (or 'the title' as it used to be known). Having seen off Cas, Halifax and Hull KR at Spotland, Hornets have nothing to fear. Bring it on.