While the forwards pounded the Rovers defence with kamikaze zeal, Hornets realistically showed all the penetration of eunoch with a headache.

Indeed, as Hull KR went into spoil and sprawl mode - having gratefully taken a penalty on the way - it took Hornets half an hour to summon up the wherewithal to create anything resembling a break. As it was, Ian Watson’s flat pass found Gareth price arriving at speed and he crashed through two defenders to score. Nanyn missed spectacularly - as he was prone to do with most of his goal attempts during the game.

Having exchanged penalties, Hornets dragged themselves in at the break 16-6 down and lucky to still be in contention - particularly given Jon Roper’s nightmare first half that had seen him drop a lightweight lob over the defence under no pressure whatsoever and fail to find touch with a penalty from 10 metres. Shocking, really.

But Hally’s half time ‘chat’ seemed to have done the trick. Three minutes into the second half Hornets’ first attempt at playing flowing football worked - Paul Owen on the end of a sweeping move to score and Hornets back within touching distance.

But as Hornets played their best football of the game, they couldn’t turn possession and pressure into points. And it was Roper who heralded the game’s turning point when - with Rovers out on their feet and Hornets piling forward, he dropped a simple pass with the line at his mercy after Smithy had carved up the Hull KR defence.

The chance to level the game and kick on had gone; Hull KR couldn’t believe their luck and found the inspiration to take the ball straight back down the field and force a Hornets drop out.

Roper’s drop out scudded just 30 metres, where Paul Fletcher gratefully gathered the ball, drew chasing wingman Cooper and released McClarron on an unopposed sprint into the corner.

And - as if it couldn’t get worse - Roper’s kick off failed to go the statutory 10 metres. From the resulting tap penalty, Rovers took advantage of a Hornets defence bereft of any shape - Tawhai kicking through, Parker touching down, Stott converting - Game Over.

While Hornets scored two late tries through Owen and Nanyn - way too much, way too late - Rovers’ Stott slammed home a thumping 40 metre drop goal to put the result beyond any doubt at all.

In the post mortem, Hornets have been found wanting in key positions. The centre channels look particularly weak - Roper’s nightmare game doing him no favours amongst supporters spoiled on the 100% reliable steel of Calland and O’Meara. Nanyn too had an eminently forgettable game - his goal kicking failure rate the eventual difference between the sides. So it’s Steve Linnane’s ‘Dull’ KR that go through. Whilst they may not be pretty to watch, they are well drilled and know where their strengths are. Hornets on the other hand go back yet again to the drawing board and - whilst ruminating on what this debacle has cost the club - must look to rectify a positive compendium of errors if we are to avoid a similar embarrassment in the Arriva Trains Cup.