HUddersfield Giants lost their way badly, just when they needed to impress their home support.

With the chance to kick on from their previous win at Widnes , the sorry Giants went missing at home to Hull KR - a side they would have felt they could take two Super League points from.

Instead they were off the pace after a bright start and were handed a heavy defeat 38-6 and clearly have much work still to do to get their season back on track.

The Giants had to reshuffle with Jake Mamo counted out with a hamstring strain.

Jordan Rankin, who had been playing at half back all season, was moved to full-back and Lee Gaskell partnered Danny Brough in the half backs.

Giants got off to the best of starts with pressure on the Robins line leading to Ollie Roberts going over, and Danny Brough added the goal.

However, Hull KR hit back with centre Andrew Heffernan having the strength to break through the Giants defence to touch down. Ryan Shaw added the goal.

The visitors took strength from their ability in attack and Shaw was on target again after full-back Adam Quinlan made the most of a defensive lapse to cut through and score.

The home side were struggling to set the tone for the game and lost ball when well placed to score and let the opportunity go to waste.

An injury to Dale Ferguson did not help the Giants cause as they battled to impose themselves on Hull KR, who were clearly up for the challenge.

There was a let-off for the Giants, as referee Ben Thaler chalked off a try, but Shaw scored with a penalty to put the Robins 14-6 ahead.

They improved that lead before the break, when Quinlan’s kick to the corner set up a try for Shaw, who added the goal to put his side 20-6 ahead at the interval.

The Giants were looking to impose themselves early in the second period, but they were getting nowhere as the Danny McGuire-inspired Robins showed no sign of giving any ground.

Even conceding two drop-outs did not seem to upset the resolve of the Humbersiders as they soaked up pressure and defended resolutely.

The Giants’ kicking game that had served them so well in the win at Widnes was also eluding them, with Rankin at full back leaving Brough to try and dictate the play – and the home team failed to test their opponents.

In fact, the Giants push to try and create something backfired when a Rankin’s kick to the corner gave the Robins chance to break out of defence and James Greenwood sprinted clear to score and put the visitors out of sight.

The Giants nightmare got worse as another Rovers breakout led to Heffernan almost racing clear before coolly sending Shaw in at the corner for his second try of the night – and he added the goal.

There was still time for McGuire to go over for a final time and complete the misery for Stone’s men.

“I’m frustrated, disappointed and angry,” said Stone.

“We were in front of our own fans and this is not the Giants we want to see.

“The performance wasn’t up to it and the boys need to look at themselves.

“We had a good start and were controlling the game, looking okay on attack, but one little bit of great stuff from the opposition, they scored a try and we lost our way a little bit after that.

“I don’t think we under-estimated them by any stretch of the imagination because their form has been really competitive, and they played really well in tough conditions. They didn’t make an error in the first half and went on with it.”

He added: “We were outplayed by a team who played really well in the conditions.

“We probably tried to play around them a little bit too much, and the change of direction from Hull KR was great, so credit to them.

“We have a bit of thinking to do before our next game.

“In the previous two games we lost we beat ourselves, but here we were beaten by the opposition.”