Four tries for Lewis as Hull KR thrash Bradford

Betfred Super League

Bradford (12) 12

Tries: Douglas, Eden Goals: Atkin 2

Hull KR (24) 48

Tries: Lewis 4, May, Martin, Broadbent, Hiku Goals: Martin 8

Mikey Lewis scored four tries as Hull Kingston Rovers moved fifth in Super League by overpowering a severely weakened Bradford Bulls side at Odsal.

The magical Robins stand-off scored two in the first eight minutes to threaten a huge score against a team that has had to re-stock its injury-hit squad with loans and academy youngsters.

Tyrone May and Rhyse Martin tries had the statisticians thumbing through the records, but Bulls rallied with tries from Brandon Douglas and Greg Eden before half-time.

That revival was extinguished as Jack Broadbent scored early in the second half, Lewis added two more and Peta Hiku made it eight Rovers tries on the day as resurgent Rovers made it five consecutive wins in all competitions.

Bulls have had to patch up their squad after an injury crisis deprived them of 13 players, including all of their recognised half-backs apart from Chris Atkin, and they had wandered into the path of a Robins juggernaut which is rapidly gathering pace.

Fears that they might be in for a record beating were reinforced as Lewis scampered over for those two early tries and then chipped a lovely kick for Tyrone May to add another, before Martin span out of a tackle to make it four tries in the opening 15 minutes.

Bulls showed plenty of spirit to rally and threaten to make a match of it before half-time, as Douglas, recalled from his loan at Championship club Halifax Panthers, barged his way over for his first Super League try.

Then 35-year-old Eden, brought in on loan from North Wales Crusaders, marked his first Super League game since he left Castleford Tigers in 2023 by taking advantage of some dreadfully sloppy Robins defence to grab another try.

Any hopes that Bulls could build on that were killed off as Rovers, no doubt having had a half-time rocket from head coach Willie Peters, came out strongly with Broadbent gathering May's delicate short-range kick to score.

Lewis threw a big dummy and sped over to complete his hat-trick, and then feinted and accelerated through three tacklers to notch up a quadruple for the first time in his senior career.

Hiku completed the rout from May's kick over the top and Martin completed a personal haul of 20 points by kicking his eighth conversion.

Bradford: Ryan; Wynne, Russell, Chamberlain, Eden; Aekins, Atkin; Ormondroyd, Souter, Lewis, Fulton, Peposhi, Hallas

Interchanges: Douglas, Gardiner, Ruan, Gill.