Williams scores in Warrington's victory at Hull KR
· Yahoo Sports
Betfred Super League
Hull KR (14) 28
Visit salonsustainability.club for more information.
Tries: Lewis, Lawton, Hadley, Pangai Jr Goals: Martin, Mourgue 5
Warrington Wolves (10) 34
Tries: Hopoate 2, Bentley, Sipley, Byrne, Williams Goals: Irwin 5
George Williams scored his first try since returning from neck surgery to help Warrington Wolves beat defending Super League champions Hull KR and close the gap on the competition's top two.
England half-back Williams, who spent almost four months out after sustaining the injury against Catalans Dragons in April, went over for the match-defining try in their rearranged fixture against the Robins - having returned to action just five days earlier against York.
Williams' score came before Mikey Lewis again found himself in trouble for Hull KR, with the influential half-back - who was making his first appearance after completing a four-game ban - sin-binned for a dangerous attempt to block a kick late on.
Earlier, quickfire Lewis and Karl Lawton tries just before the break put Hull KR 14-10 ahead, after well-worked scores from Albert Hopoate and James Bentley looked to have had Wolves heading into half-time with a slender lead.
Toafofoa Sipley scored immediately after the interval to reclaim the advantage for the visitors and, while Arthur Mourgue landed a penalty to level things up, an Ewan Irwin kick, Liam Byrne's try on his 27th birthday, Williams' finish and a stunning second score from Hopoate proved enough to seal a statement win for Sam Burgess' side.
Late scores from Dean Hadley and Tevita Pangai Jr did little more than add respectability to the scoreline for the Robins after being outplayed at home.
The win moved Wolves to within two points of competition pacesetters Leeds Rhinos and Wigan Warriors - who are only second on points difference - after 23 games, while the loss leaves Hull KR fifth and still battling to secure a play-off spot.
While Rhyse Martin opened the scoring with an early penalty for the hosts, Wolves grabbed the game's first four-pointer through Hopoate out wide after the Robins were stretched and overworked defending successive sets on their line.
And after Bentley spent part of the first half being checked over by medics for a head injury assessment, having been crunched in a tackle by Sauaso Sue, the second-rower returned to the pitch to touch down his side's second try just before the half-hour.
A head-high hit from Sam Stone on Mourgue close to the line proved to be the defining penalty of the first half, with Jez Litten sending Lewis over for the Robins' first try with an expertly threaded grubber kick.
Lawton powered over under the sticks to nudge Hull KR ahead once more, but once Sipley touched down early in the second half Warrington refused to relinquish the lead again.
The flourish of tries from Byrne, Williams and Hopoate that put Wolves out of reach was, however, soured by the loss of full-back Josh Thewlis to a hamstring injury.
Hull KR head coach Willie Peters told BBC Radio Humberside:
"I thought we were brave in large parts of that game, but we were silly.
"We lost some vital moments and it snowballed off the back of that.
"I thought Warrington were exceptional in terms of their last plays and building pressure and putting us in vulnerable positions. I don't think we did that enough to them."
On Mikey Lewis' performance and sin-binning: "He has had four weeks off, I thought he did some good things and then he gets 10 minutes for the charge down.
"I need to look at it, but I don't think there was malice in it. Mikey has done some silly things this year, and that one there he was definitely going to put kick pressure on. From what I saw, I don't believe there was malice to go and hurt the player."
Hull KR: Mourgue; Davies, Hiku, Broadbent, Burgess; Lewis, May; Sue, Litten, Hadley, Whitbread, Martin, Minchella.
Interchanges: Amone, Luckley, Lawton, Pangai Jr.
Warrington Wolves: J Thewlis; Hopoate, Lindop, King, Ashton; Williams, Irwin; Byrne, Walker, Harrison, Bentley, Stone, Currie.
Interchanges: Tanginoa, Sipley, Wood, Crowther.
Referee: Liam Moore.