HULL KR made Challenge Cup finalists Wigan Warriors earn every bit of their 21-16 win, but they will know they should have won the game.
It was a weakened Wigan side and Rovers were unable to make the most of Shaun Wane's team selection.
Rovers had enough chances to win and were left to rue their failure to take them as they made their way back home.
When Anthony Gelling strolled through within the last 10 minutes, it was the deciding moment for the Warriors.
It was harsh on Rovers but that's the nature of rugby league.
If you don't score when you are on top, you only have yourself to blame if you lose.
Rovers coach Craig Sandercock was able to name an unchanged side from the one which lost 34-6 at Warrington last time out.
Wigan coach Wane said he would use the next three league games to help with his Challenge Cup final team selection, making sure everyone got a chance to impress him.
He was true to his word with Ryan Hampshire and Joe Burgess replacing Sam Tomkins and Pat Richards, both of whom are more than likely to start at Wembley.
Hampshire and Burgess had encouraging starts as Wigan looked to begin strongly.
Play was held up for a couple of minutes as Jordan Cox received treatment for a head injury sustained when he got his head in the wrong position to stop former team-mate Scott Taylor running at him.
A second collision with Rhys Lovegrove didn't help the second rower as he left the pitch dazed and confused.
In the reshuffle, Lincoln Withers came on at hooker with Josh Hodgson moving to Cox's place in the second row.
Rovers had barely finished their re-organising when Wigan took the lead, Josh Charnley going over in the right hand corner from Hampshire's pass.
Charnley's missed conversion meant Wigan led 4-0.
Rovers were gifted a way back into the game when Matty Smith fumbled the restart over the dead ball line at the expense of a goal-line drop- out.
From it, they won a penalty and Greg Eden was sent through a massive gap by Michael Dobson to draw level.
Dobson added the extras for a 6-4 lead after 18 minutes.
Rovers should have extended their lead when back-to-back penalties took them to within five metres of Wigan's try line, but Sean Gleeson's forward pass ended that threat.
Rovers were on top but they needed another score to see their superiority reflected on the scoreboard.
Dobson's kick through brought another drop out.
From it, Dobson scored but it owed a lot to the quick thinking of Josh Hodgson, who sprinted from blindside to the open side which confused Wigan as to who was picking him up. Dobson capitalised on the confusion to make it to the line. He missed the conversion but Rovers led 10-4 after 36 minutes.
Rovers were unable to hold on to that lead until half-time as Darrell Goulding grounded the ball with one second left to play in the half. Charnley's conversion made it 10-10 at the break.
It was tough on Rovers who were caught out by a piece of brilliance from Matty Smith, who cleverly kicked into space for Charnley to run on to.
Rovers deserved to lead at the break, a fact Wane made clear to his players in the changing rooms, but a failure to turn possession into points cost them.
Sandercock's side had put up more of a fight in the first 40 minutes than London did in the entire semi-final last weekend.
Rovers started the second half still on a team warning for repeatedly conceding penalties.
And as a result, they were reduced to 12 men when Lincoln Withers was sin-binned for interfering at the ruck.
They were punished further a minute later when Charnley squeezed over in the corner thanks to smart hands from Goulding. The try was allowed to stand even though the ball looked to have touched the touchline. Once again luck was seemingly running against the Robins.
Rovers' luck turned temporarily when Charnley was denied his hat-trick when video referee James Child disallowed his effort.
Goulding and Charnley were at their destructive best on Wigan's right hand side.
And when Wigan went to their left hand side, Joe Burgess looked sharp and forced a try- saving tackle from Eden that kept the game alive.
Despite having things go against them, Rovers were only four points adrift.
They kept taking the game to Wigan.
Dave Hodgson forced a goal-line drop out in the 55th minute.
While nothing came from it, it helped keep Wigan penned in their own half.
Even when Smith kicked a superb 40/20, his second in successive weeks, Gleeson came up with a ball-freeing hit on Wigan full-back Hampshire.
Rovers were getting the breaks from the referee too.
And they almost made it count in the 64th minute when Dave Hodgson was dragged into touch by Charnley before he could ground the ball. It was encouraging from Rovers point of view.
Anthony Gelling sealed the Wigan win, strolling through to score in front of his own fans. Charnley converted to make it 20-10.
Smith added a drop goal before Evarn Tuimavave's late converted try set up a tense finale. But when Dave Hodgson was bundled into touch, the game was over.
Rovers will take plenty of positives from this defeat into their home derby on August 11.
However, they did lose Mickey Paea with a knee injury in the second half and he may be a doubt for the derby against his future employers.
Wigan Warriors 21Tries: Charnley 2, Goulding, GellingGoals: Charley 2; DG: SmithHull KR 16Tries: Eden, Dobson, TuimavaveGoals: Dobson 2Attendance: 12,191
Wigan Warriors 21Tries: Charnley 2, Goulding, GellingGoals: Charley 2; DG: SmithHull KR 16Tries: Eden, Dobson, TuimavaveGoals: Dobson 2Attendance: 12,191
