Peter Smith's Leeds Rhinos player ratings as scores range from 5-9 in defeat at Hull KR

Rhinos were the better team for half an hour and didn’t play badly throughout. They led 6-0, but were undone by two sin-binnings, a run of seven successive penalties conceded and some fortunate tries, though on weight of pressure the Robins were value for their 22-12 victory.

There were positives though. Rhinos defended strongly, all Rovers’ three tries coming from kicks and there was an encouraging first start - and second senior appearance - from 19-year-old full-back Alfie Edgell. He came in as a very late replacement after Lachie Miller was taken ill at the ground. His one mistake was punished, but he made some good catches, defended well and is going to be a good player.

For the second successive game, Ash Handley scored as good a try as will be seen all season. Brodie Croft, from near Rhinos’ line, spotted the compressed defence and kicked to the left, Handley ran on to it and stepped the full-back for an absolute blinder. That try bodes well for this season.

Leeds’ effort wasn’t in doubt, but they struggled to deal with a heavy pitch and the two cards didn’t help. There was a fear before the season started that Rhinos’ squad is a big prop short. With numbers eight and 10 injured, at one stage second-rowers James Donaldson and Mickael Goudemand were playing there, which must be the smallest front-row in the club’s history.

Rhinos also made too many errors, including failing to complete their first two sets. When they made it third time lucky, Peter Hiku couldn’t deal with Matt Frawley’s clever kick and - after conceding a set restart - took way too long to get off Handley, resulting in a spell in the bin. Leeds scored again 12 men, James Bentley doing well to get the ball to Croft, whose pass was finished strongly by Harry Newman for a try which Rhyse Martin improved.

Rhinos could have led at the break, but went in two points down. They held out until seven minutes before the interval when a grubber kick by Jez Litten, Rovers’ best player, hit an upright and rebounded straight to Sauaso Sue. Litten converted from in front and then booted the Robins ahead with the final kick of the half.

Edgell spilled a kick from Tyrone May and Donaldson caught Oliver Gildart with a high shot in the resulting set. Leeds couldn’t have argued if the card had been red, but referee Jack Smith produced a yellow, which was one of very few decisions which went their way. Before that Edgell made a try-saving tackle on Jai Whitbread and the same player was held up over Rhinos’ line by Bentley, Andy Ackers and Justin Sangare.

Rhinos spent the entire time Donaldson was in the bin defending, but the try they conceded was unfortunate, Gildart’s offload to Ryan Hall was forward, but video refs can’t rule on forward passes and it was given after a check for a possible knock-on. Handley’s try out of the blue got Leeds back in it with 22 left, Martin converting, but Sam Lisone was yellow-carded with 12 left for an alleged his tackle on Elliot Minchella and Litten took the two.

After receiuviung two of the first three, Leeds could feel aggrieved at the penalty count – more over the three for them than the 11 against – but dissent is unacceptable and backchat led to Hiku settling it when he touched down from May’s kick.

Hull KR: Hiku, Evalds, Opacic, Gildart, R Hall, May, Lewis, Whitbread, Litten, King, Tanginoa, Batchelor, Minchella, Subs Sue, Storton, Aydin, C Hall.

Leeds Rhinos: Miller, Roberts, Newman, Momirovski, Handley, Croft, Frawley, Sangare, Ackers, Goudemand, Bentley, Martin, C Smith. Subs O’Connor, Lisone, Ruan, Donaldson.

Referee: Jack Smith (Wigan). Attendance: not given.