Broncos beat Robins to avoid bottom spot

Mason Caton-Brown, Jamie Soward, and Mark Bryant, pictured, scored to turn the game on its head
9 September 2013

London Broncos avoided finishing bottom of the Super League table by clinching a 34-22 win at play-offs bound Hull KR.

Craig Hall, Josh Gudzek and Omari Caro all went over for the Robins in the first 23 minutes, meaning London would have to do things the hard way to overturn a 16-point deficit and claim victory.

They did rise to the challenge, however, with youngster Mason Caton-Brown scoring a hat-trick before Jamie Soward (two) and Mark Bryant scored to turn the game on its head.

Robins coach Craig Sandercock rested the majority of his first team ahead of Saturday's elimination play-off game at St Helens but that did not stop the home side from opening the scoring when Hall, who was deputising for skipper Michael Dobson, broke down the left flank.

Two plays later 18-year-old Guzdek marked his Super League debut with a try from his first touch and Hall converted for a 6-0 lead after just one minute of play.

Hall was back on converting duties 10 minutes after scoring his own try, having been set up brilliantly by Lincoln Withers.

The Australian broke down the middle and sent Hall off to finish the job off in style under the posts. His second conversion made it 12-0.

London continued to prove why they have been struggling at the wrong end of the table. It took them 20 minutes to get close to the hosts' try line and, when they did, they kicked possession back to the home side.

At the other end London's defence was just as poor. A slick move on the left-hand side ended with Kris Welham showing quick hands to send Caro over against the club he played for last season.

Hall pushed his conversion to the left of the posts but the Robins were leading 16-0 after 23 minutes.

London finally got on the scoreboard in the 27th minute thanks to two pieces of brilliance from Mike Bishay.

He took a difficult pass in his stride before weighing a perfect kick to the left-hand side for Caton-Brown to score, but Soward, who played State of Origin last season, missed the conversion to leave the Broncos trailing 16-4.

It was just what the Broncos needed and Soward was now enjoying himself, so much so that he was next on the scoresheet.

Closing in on the Robins' line, he threw a couple of dummy passes to stroll through and score under the posts. Soward's conversion made it 16-10 with nine minutes of the first half remaining.

Trailing by a converted try, London started the second half determined to end their season on a high. Soward kicked a 40/20 but Dan Sarginson's knock on ended that attack.

The visitors did manage to sort things out shortly afterwards thanks to former KR hooker Ben Fisher.

His break looked to end in a try but he was hauled down a couple of metres short of the line. Nevertheless, he got up quickly to send Soward over for an easy try and the latter's conversion levelled the game at 16-16.

Suddenly the Broncos were on top and Soward's creativity was causing problems in the KR defence.

His inch-perfect kick was brilliantly plucked from the sky by Caton-Brown for his second try of the match and Soward converted for a 22-16 lead.

The Robins replied through their returning vice-captain Welham.

Chasing Hall's kick, he managed to get his hands to the ball before the London defenders and Hall converted to make it 22-22 with 22 minutes left to play.

London's latest talent, Caton-Brown, completed his hat-trick in the 67th minute after more creative play from Soward.

The scrum-half's long cut-out pass exposed the Robins' deficiencies in defence for the Enfield youngster to score in the left-hand corner and Soward converted to make it 28-22 with 13 minutes remaining.

Soward's drop goal attempt was soon blocked by Hall, whose interception moments later allowed the Robins to turn defence into attack, but a Tyla Hepi error ended that opportunity.

London ended the game and their troubled season on a high with the final score of the game.

Fittingly, it was the retiring prop Mark Bryant who powered his way over from close range and Soward allowed the former to convert for a 34-22 win.

Sandercock now has to lift his side ahead of the play-offs, on the back of successive defeats to Widnes and London.

A last-minute Liam Kay try that completed his hat-trick helped Wakefield defeat Castleford 36-32 to snatch 11th place in the Super League, with James Clare's four-try haul not enough in a thrilling local derby.

Despite Clare's first-half treble and a try from Rangi Chase on his Castleford farewell, the visitors were four points down at the break as Tigers-bound Frankie Mariano (twice), Kay and Kyle Trout went in for the home side.

Wakefield extended their lead after the break when Kay raced away for his second, but Weller Hauraki crashed over to reduce the gap to two before Clare scored his fourth.

Ali Lauitiiti then levelled it at 32-32 before charging down Chase's kick for glory and sending Kay away for a brilliant finish.

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