Generous Huddersfield Giants threw away a 13-point lead early in the second half to suffer a 20-19 defeat that sealed their fate in the Middle 8s.
A rock-solid first half that earned them a deserved 18-6 lead and steady start to the second which nudged them 19-6 ahead looked to have put the visitors in pole position.
But as soon as Albert Kelly crashed over in the 49th minute, the Giants started to fall apart and the Robins took full advantage.
It meant that in the end Huddersfield got what they deserved as they came up with schoolboy errors at all the wrong times.
The Giants were the better side in the opening half and were full value for their 18-6 interval advantage.
Apart from conceding one scruffy try and one goalline drop-out, the visitors looked relatively comfortable from minute one to 40.
They were pretty clinical on attack, crossing for three tries converted by Jamie Ellis and having another from Ryan Brierley ruled out for offside, and fairly sound defensively.
As a result, a 12-point lead was an accurate assessment.
Huddersfield’s opener came after eight minutes when Aaron Murphy collected a high Matty Marsh bomb and immediately fed Brierley to race 90m upfield to score.
Although Marsh struck back five minutes when a ball ricocheted straight to former Giants hooker Shaun Lunt to race away and feed his half-back to finish off a try converted by Ben Cockayne, it was the Giants who went on to dominate the rest of the half.
Brierley was denied in the 16th minute when referee Ben Thaler ruled he was in an offside position when he collected an Ellis grubber to touch down.
But four minutes later Thaler ruled in the visitors’ favour when he adjudged Jake Connor had the ball kicked from his hand as he stretched out to score and awarded a penalty try.
Ellis landed his second goal and then added his third in the 27th minute when he crossed from a long pass close to the Hull KR line from substitute Danny Brough, whose introduction at hooker brought almost immediate positive results.
The influential Brough was the first to strike in the second period, casually knocking over a 47th-minute drop goal to leave the Robins needing to score three times to take the lead for the first time.
But two minutes later the hosts were back in the hunt when Kelly crashed over by the posts for a second converted try for his side.
And by the 53rd minute the lead was down to one point when Adam Walker and Lunti kept the ball alive close to the Giants line for George Lawlor to cross for converted try No3.
Huddersfield were denied a second ‘try’ for offside moments later when Tom Symonds was adjudged to be in front of Brough when he dabbed the ball through.
Symonds was then held up over the tryline with 11 minutes remaining as the Giants dsperately looked to cross for a try to calm the nerves.
But in the 72nd minute the anxiety grew dramatically when Cockayne slotted over a penalty for a ball strip, just moments after the Giants had handed the home side cheap possession inside their own territory.
It was a score that sealed the Giants fate.
Super League leaders Hull FC slipped up with a 20-15 home defeat to bottom of the pile Leeds Rhinos.
Wigan’s assault on top spot continued at home to Wakefield Trinity with a 22-18 victory.
And Widnes Vikings were beaten 12-10 at St Helens.
Castleford Tigers will look to ensure their place in the top eight tomorrow when they take on Catalans Dragons at The Jungle.
The Giants Under 19s are in Academy action at home to Catalans Dragons tomorrow at Huddersfield RUFC’s Lockwood Park at 10.30pm
FIXTURES
TODAY
Kingstone Press League One: Coventry v South Wales (3pm), London Skolars v Toulouse (3pm)
TOMORROW
Super League: Castleford Tigers v Catalans Dragons (3.30pm)
Kingstone Press Championship: Batley Bulldogs v Featherstone Rovers, Bradford Bulls v Whitehaven, Leigh Centurions v Halifax, London Broncos v Sheffield Eagles, Oldham Roughyeds v Swinton Lions, Workington v Dewsbury Rams (all 3pm)
Kingstone Press League One: Hemel Stags v Newcastle Thunder (2.30), Hunslet Hawks v North Wales (3pm), Keighley Cougars v York City Knights (3pm), Oxford v Gloucestershire All Golds (2.30pm), Rochdale Hornets v Doncaster (3pm)
