Hull KR's Byron Ford showed he could be a force in Super League with a hat-trick of tries in a narrow friendly defeat to Harlequins.

Promoted Rovers' top try-scorer from last season continued where he left off with a well-taken treble but it was the Londoners who emerged victorious at Craven Park.

With the experts predicting a tough season ahead for both sides, a close match always looked on the cards and so it proved.

Jon Wells and Henry Paul put the home defence under early pressure but it was the Robins who took the lead in the eighth minute.

It came after Chris Chester re-gathered his kick ahead and found James Webster, who in turn linked with Scott Murrell and Jon Goddard to send in winger Ford over.

A second try came two minutes later when Mark Vella's neat pass saw Ben Cockayne stroll in to score and Gareth Morton converted.

Harlequins cut the deficit on 17 minutes through Paul and Paul Sykes added the extra two points.

Wells brought the Londoners level six minutes later when the home defence went missing and Sykes' touchline conversion pushed Quins 12-10 ahead.

Rovers went back in front four minutes before half-time through Ford's second try but their 14-12 lead could have been bigger had Chester grounded the ball properly in the dying seconds of the half.

But their advantage was increased with 49 minutes gone when Murrell's kick into the left corner was touched down by the alert Ford to complete his hat-trick.

However Danny Orr scooted over in the 58th minute and with Rob Purdham converting, Quins were back level. Purdham then secured the win with a 67th-minute try which Sykes converted.