Hull FC overturn 20-point deficit to beat KR

Correspondent

Hull FC came back from 20-0 down with 20 minutes remaining, to claim a 22-20 victory over Hull KR at the KC Leighstream Stadium on Good Friday.

Hull KR looked to have made an awful start, when Josh Mantellato dropped the ball in a tackle when returning a kick in the second minute. The Robins were relived when the video ref ruled out the try.

It was Rovers who went on to make the early pace, keeping the ball in the FC 20m zone for several sets. They struggled to show any real penetration or threat, however.

Ryan Shaw bagged his fourth try of the season after 12 minutes, finishing well in the right corner after Albert Kelly started a slick move on the right edge.

Scott Taylor was putting himself about, trying to make a point against his former team-mates.

Rovers went further ahead when Ken Sio intercepted a Mark Minichiello blind offload to run 60m to put the Robins 8-0 up. Mantellato added the extras in the 29th minute.

Mantellato kicked a penalty to put Rovers, who had enjoyed the best of the first half, 12-0 up at the interval.

The second half saw FC huff and puff pretty ineffectually for the first 10 minutes or so, Rovers dealing with every threat with competent confidence.

Rovers went further into the lead after a Maurice Blair break created a chance for Iain Thornley to cross on Hull FC‘s left edge.

Mantellato kicked another penalty in the 57th minute, putting Rovers into a 20-0 lead, and beginning to look very dominant indeed.

But only two minutes later, Jamie Shaul created a try out of nothing to hand the Airlie Birds a lifeline. Marc Sneyd added the extras to make it 20-6 with 20 minutes left.

Mahe Fonua levelled up with a try after 74 minutes in the corner. Sneyd added the extras to put the visitors 22-20 up with five minutes remaining.

Veteran FC back rower Gareth Ellis felt that the Airlie Birds only really started to play around the hour mark.

“To be fair, we weren’t in the game for about 50 or 60 minutes,” he told Sky Sports.

“We knew the scoreboard was never too far away from us, and we knew, after all the pressurethat KR had we would get our chance, and we certainly took it.”