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Page last updated at 14:49 GMT, Monday, 5 April 2010 15:49 UK

Harlequins 12-52 Hull KR


Harlequins (0) 12
Tries: Orr, Williamson Goals: Orr 2

Hull KR (22) 52
Tries: Galea 2, Cook, Dobson, Welham 4, Lovegrove Goals: Dobson 8

Kris Welham
Welham added a second-half hat-trick to his first try shortly before the break

Four tries from Hull Kingston Rovers centre Kris Welham sealed a crushing defeat of Harlequins at The Stoop.

Rovers scorched 16 points inside the opening 14 minutes through Ben Galea, Matt Cook and Michael Dobson tries.

Welham's quartet, a second from Galea and Rhys Lovegrove's late score saw off a disappointingly poor Quins.

Rugged Rovers defending shut out several promising Quins attacks but Danny Orr and Luke Williamson managed to cross the line for the home side.

The Robins banished memories of Friday's loss to fierce rivals Hull FC from the off.

Galea's dummy pass after three minutes opened a gap in the scrambled covering defence for the Australian second row to canter over.

Dobson missed the conversion but he was on target to convert Cook's try after Galea was involved again five minutes later.

His clever interplay with Chaz I'anson from a Harlequins kick clear saw Cook receive a screened pass as Rovers' lines of running opened up space 20 metres out.

Dobson crossed the whitewash himself on 13 minutes after a slick passage of play when Jake Webster intercepted a pass to feed winger Peter Fox, who then flicked the ball inside to Webster who found Dobson.

Quins fought back after 20 minutes and pinned the Robins back in their own half as Will Sharp, Chad Randall and then Jamie O'Callaghan went within inches of opening the account for the Londoners.

But Welham countered for the Red and Whites' fourth try on 32 minutes after Ben Cockayne fielded Dobson's bouncing cross-field kick and stepped inside two defenders to deliver the crucial pass.

Quins rallied again as half-time approached but committed gang defending by the visitors denied Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook and then Tony Clubb.

Early second-half Robins pressure saw Welham go over in the corner and Dobson slot the conversion from the touchline.

Welham was denied an early hat-trick shortly after when a blistering cross-field move was called back for a forward pass by referee Thierry Alibert.

Quick hands and good support saw Orr round Mick Vella out wide for Harlequins' opening score and he successfully converted his try.

Concerns that the Robins might be flagging after their exploits on Friday were answered as they hit back with Galea's second try, again converted by Dobson.

Williamson rounded off one of the better moves of the afternoon for Quins' second try with 12 minutes left but by then there was no coming back.

Welham found himself on the end of another try-scoring pass with seven minutes left and then gathered a kick for his fourth of the afternoon.

Lovelace's last-gasp score sealed the misery for Quins and saw Dobson slot his eighth conversion of the afternoon.


Harlequins coach Brian McDermott:

"We were very, very poor. I include everything in that; our passing, our defending, our kicking, you name it.

"We have some people out there who are learning some very tough lessons. The players do care and motivation comes from caring so that is not an issue.

"But it is very tough for us at the moment and all we can do is keep going."

Hull KR coach Justin Morgan:

"It was a great response to the derby disappointment. We defended really well and there was some free flowing rugby out there that was a delight to watch.

"It takes a brave person to go out there and put your body on the line twice in the space of three days and we have a lot of those type of players.

"We have had a lot of players put their hands up today and prove they are up to the rigours of Super League and that is great.

"But we must not, and we will not, get carried away. This is just a win and is no more important than anything else. We have to keep our heads down and not get complacent in any way."


Harlequins RL: Jones-Bishop, O'Callaghan, Clubb, Purdham, Sharp, Gale, Randall, Wilkes, Orr, Ward, Williamson, Melling, Golden.
Replacements: McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Williams, Bryan, Bolger.

Hull KR: Briscoe, Fox, Webster, Welham, Cockayne, I'Anson, Dobson, Lovegrove, Fisher, Vella, Newton, Cook, Galea.
Replacements: Netherton, Watts, Clinton, Murrell.

Referee: T Alibert (Toulouse)



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