Hull FC 38-16 Hull KR
Two tries for Kirk Yeaman sealed a pulsating derby win for Hull FC.
Willie Manu’s unlikely offload on the last tackle found the centre who waltzed in at the corner to give the Black and Whites the bragging rights that this performance deserved – particularly their enterprise in attack.
The home side had edged the territorial battle in the first-half which was reflected in the 16-12 score line at half-time.
Tom Briscoe’s scintillating run saw him break the line and arc away from Ben Cockayne. Under pressure from the full-back, Briscoe flicked a back-handed offload to keep the move alive and eventually saw Yeaman slide in for the game’s opening try. Danny Tickle converted to give the home side a dream start.
Blake Green put Matt Cook into a gaping hole in the Black and Whites’ defence and he scored under the posts – allowing the returning Michael Dobson a simple opportunity to level the score.
A highly contentious Sean Long try put the home side back in front. Kris Welham replied with a try after a Dobson pass had dissected defenders. Yet it was the home side to have the final say of the half; debutant Martin Gleeson forcing his way over to score and into Humberside rugby league folklore.
Hull came out after the break looking for the try that would put them two scores in front. A Long high bomb on the last tackle was excellently snatched by the defending Welham and Rovers instantly turned defence into attack. Wing Peter Fox raced almost the length of the field but the scrambling defence of the home side prevented an outstanding counter-attacking try.
Long deployed the same tactic as Hull continued to press and it twice came close to bringing rewards. Richard Whiting out jumped Sam Latus on both occasions but both Whiting and Gleeson were denied a try by the covering defence – both efforts saw the Hull men just short of the try line.
Ultimately, Whiting’s dominance of Latus was decisive. On the last tackle Long opted to pass, not kick, and it caught the Rovers defence out. Long’s wide pass found Whiting who beat Latus to score in the corner.
Ben Galea’s clever inside pass sent Cockayne over to make it a tense finish, but Yeaman’s second and a last-minute try for Briscoe ensured the spoils went to the home side.
Hull FC: Briscoe, Phelps, Yeaman, Gleeson, Whiting, Horne, Long; O’Meley, Houghton, Moa, Fitzgibbon, Tickle, Manu Subs: Obst, Dowes, Westerman, Lauaki
Tries: Yeaman 3, Long 21, Gleeson 31, Whiting 64, Yeaman 77, Briscoe 80
Goals: Tickle 3, 21, 64, 75, 77, 80
Hull KR: Cockayne, Fox, Welham, Webster, Latus, Green, Dobson; Clinton, Hodgson, Vela, Galea, Cook, Murrell Subs: Lovegrove, Fisher, Netherton, Taylor
Tries: Cook 8, Welham 27, Cockayne 71
Goals: Dobson 8, 27, 71
Referee: Phil Bentham