‘We have shown what we’re about’ - Hull KR latest Super League team to feel force of Wakefield Trinity

We may only be two rounds into this season’s campaign, but Wakefield’s startling performances have started to catch the eye with Leeds deservedly beaten on the opening day and the Robins, last season’s Grand Finalists, somehow holding on for a narrow 14-12 victory at a rocking DIY Kitchens Stadium last night.

It could have been two wins from two for Trin who were so close to forcing golden point but Max Jowitt’s conversion attempt following the outstanding Oliver Pratt’s late try drifted agonisingly wide.

“I’d have back us to be honest,” admitted head coach Daryl Powell after the game. “It was a pretty big effort from us and we were fractions away from going to golden point. I thought we were excellent.

“We have lost a tight game but we can be proud of the effort. I think we have got a genuine team.

“I think we can do pretty special things. We got challenged tonight but we have come out of the other side of that challenge even though we didn’t win.

“I don’t see it as a loss, just as a really special effort from everybody.

“They will know they have been in a game. The last two weeks we have shown everybody that we are not tip-toeing our way into this comp and there is a lot more to come from this team.

“I think we will grow a lot of confidence from what we have done tonight and I think we will get better. We have shown what we are about and we are enjoying it all.”

It was a compelling, competitive contest with Tom Johnstone’s second half converted try getting Trinity back on level terms at 8-8 but Hull KR responded immediately through Mike Lewis.

Powell said: “There was a period just before Mikey Lewis scored where we scored and we made really big yardage in the next set. We kicked the ball out on the full, then conceded an offload and Mikey Lewis scores.

“And that’s the turning point in the game. There’s nothing in it.”

Pratt then produced a moment of individual brilliance to take Trinity a whisker away to golden point.

An impressed Powell said: “I just said to Pratty, ‘Tom Davies has got your reward there around his neck, you need to go and ask him for it’!

“I just thought he was unbelievable. An unbelievable performance from a young kid who was playing in his third game in Super League.

“He was beating people for fun. He had a pretty special game. Wow. He is going to grow immeasurably from that.”