By BILLY GRIMSHAW
HULL Kingston Rovers’ 100 per cent start to the Championship season continued on Sunday and on-loan Huddersfield half back Jamie Ellis achieved a piece of history.
Ellis’ fourth successful conversion of the home victory against Halifax tied the record of 41 consecutive goals, but the half back said it was bittersweet as he missed the fifth attempt which would have handed him the record outright.
“It’s a good achievement to tie the record and it’s something I’ll always be able to look back on.” He said after the game. “I was a bit gutted to miss that kick which would have beaten the old record though. There was a bit of pressure on it but I tried not to think about it too much. I was kicking into the wind and I was trying to hit it too hard, to make sure it went dead if I missed. I pulled it but I’m still happy to equal the record.”
Ellis’ record run began in unusual circumstances, with the Robins’ third game of the year away at Rochdale beginning with him missing three kicks on the bounce. He regained his composure and notched two conversions and two penalties later in the match.
Tim Sheens’ Rovers were pre-season favourites to top the table and Ellis’ faultless kicking run coincided with some big scores being notched by the Robins. Ellis maintained his 100 per cent record against Oldham (8/8), Sheffield (9/9), Dewsbury (8/8) and Sheffield (8/8) again, before slotting the final four against Halifax to reach the magic number 41 and the record set by Wakefield scrum half Liam Finn.
