OUT of sorts Saints surrendered their unbeaten record at their east Hull graveyard with the sort of game that has been all too familiar at Craven Park since 2008.

It was a bad night with James Roby’s first half departure with concussion underlining the way the night was going.

Saints could have snatched it, with two late tries setting up a grandstand finish but Travis Burns missed what would have been the equalising conversion with the last kick of the game.

Whether they deserved it was a different matter, with Saints paying a heavy price for some disappointing ends to the sets, particularly on the Rovers line.

The grubber worked once and then misfired for the rest of the game and on a couple of occasions was punished ruthlessly.

It was something of a mixed start for Saints with their first attack coming after Burns was hit late in the face after passing the ball. On another day Rovers could have been down to 12 men after that shot.

From the subsequent penalty Saints pressed and they earned their reward on four minutes when Wilkin collected his own bobbling grubber on last, scooping up the ball and dropping down for a try.

Burns kicked goal despite having to receive attention from the club doctor, who was looking at swelling under his eye, and enduring a barracking from terraces that once worshipped him.

Saints looked comfortable but alas on their next attack another Wilkin kick, this one scooped up by Rovers scrum half Albert Kelly who went the length of the field.

Josh Mantellato equalised but Saints were soon back on the attack with pressure from a high Burns kick forced another Rovers error 10metres out from line.

But with Saints on the attack on the line a Kelly interception and length of the field score, with Mantellato goaling to make it 12-6 to the home side on the quarter mark.

Saints hit back and after penalty they piled on the pressure with Wilkin’s kick wide fluffed by the Robins defence allowing Atelea Vea to scoop up and shovel it right for Tommy Makinson.

The nimble-footed wing stepped inside two home tacklers to touch down with Burns ignoring the catcalls of the crowd to arrow the conversion between the uprights.

In a game staggeringly similar to encounters here before, Rovers very nearly hit back when a high ball was not dealt with by Swift, but Hohaia was just able to foil Shaun Lunt and deny a try.

Saints had to re-adjust when they lost Roby with concussion, with Hohaia going to nine and Makinson to full back.

And just before half time a perfect kick saw Rovers stand off Terry Campese pick his spot. It went over Swift, who mistimed his jump, and was gleefully pounced upon by Ken Sio.

Although Mantellato missed the goal Rovers went in bouncing at 16-12 at the break.

Rovers stretched that lead with a Matellato penalty and then when Greg Richards caught Campese late after kicking the ball they added another.

By the time Kieran Dixon went over for a try to make it 24-12 on 67 minutes it looked over.

But a late flurry by Saints, albeit helped by a brace of forward passes, put Saints back in it.

First Burns pass sent McCarthy-Scarsbrook over on 75 minutes, and then a long ball wide from Wilkin to Turner, who played a one-two with Swift before polishing it off.

However there was to be no Houdini act and Burns missed it amidst a Craven Park cacophony leaving Saints without a win on east Hull since 2008.