YORK KNIGHTS 20 HULL FC 16
EMMA KENNEDY, LNER Community Stadium, Thursday
YORK held off a late Hull FC fightback to claim their third successive Super League win, and a first home victory over the Black & Whites in 50 years.
Nikau Williams’ try on the hour proved to be the match-winning score, but it wasn’t for a want of trying for either side in an enthralling match, with both Williams and, crucially for York, Herman Ese’ese seeing tries ruled out in a final ten minutes that could have gone either way.
Hull, hoping for a response from Saturday’s derby loss, welcomed back Harvey Barron from a head knock, with Tom Briscoe moving from wing to centre in place of Davy Litten (concussion), whilst Yusuf Aydin was named on the bench after serving his six-match suspension.
York’s only change came on the bench, with Matty Foster returning to the lineup for the first time since May, having recovered from a throat injury, in place of Kieran Hudson.
Hull came out of the blocks well, seeing the better of the early chances.
Ethan O’Neill – fresh from signing permanently at the club from Leeds – was wrapped up just short of the line, before David Nofoaluma rose above Barron to claim Jake Arthur’s chip to the corner.
However, it was York that struck first with nine minutes played. Tom Inman’s grubber won a drop-out, with Toa Mata’afa’s cut-out pass releasing Nofoaluma into the left corner. Cody Hunter couldn’t add the conversion from out wide.
A Mata’afa knock-on opened the door for Hull to hit back almost immediately, but Nofoaluma snuffed out the danger for the Knights, who soon extended their lead.
Hunter had two bites at the cherry after his initial crossfield kick had been fumbled by Barron, his chip to the right corner then falling perfectly for Jon Bennison, who turned past Zak Hardaker to score out wide. The winger couldn’t convert his own try.
But, trailing by eight points, Hull quickly began to find their momentum, and were soon firmly on top.
Amir Bourouh thought he had brought the visitors onto the board as the half reached its midpoint, only for referee Tara Jones to pull play back following a head clash between Harvie Hill and Jack Martin.
Hull instead scored their first points from a solo Aidan Sezer effort in the 24th minute, the halfback carving through York’s defence at will as he raced 60 metres untouched to open his Super League account for the season, Hardaker converting.
Scott Galeano came close for York after a neat move involving Paul Vaughan, McShane and Bennison, but in a blink of an eye, Hull were in front.
Hardaker proved too hot for the York defence to handle before the ball was sent wide to Arthur, who fed Briscoe to score on the overlap, Hardaker’s conversion giving his side a 12-8 lead.
With the wind firmly in Hull’s sails, substitute Cade Cust looked certain to score after a sublime flowing move, only to knock-on Barron’s pass back inside.
The visitors though did get across the line from their next attack.
Having won a goalline dropout, Hugo Salabio’s flicked offload as he was tackled sent Joe Batchelor over from close range against his former club.
With a 16-8 half-time scoreline leaving things all to play for, the next try was crucial.
It was perhaps poetic that it was Hull academy product Denive Balmforth who showed his parent club exactly what they’ve been missing.
After Oli Field had collected McShane’s chip, Balmforth dummied his way through to score under the posts, handing Bennison a simple conversion.
Briscoe knocked-on over the line as Hull looked for an immediate response, but as their discipline began to worsen, Bennison opted to take the points on offer, levelling the scores at 16 apiece with 28 minutes left to play.
Despite seeing a goalline dropout overturned by a successful Hull captain’s challenge, York’s momentum did not wain, McShane going close before Williams grounded Hunter’s grubber on the left to hand them the lead.
Things almost got even better for the Knights after Nofoaluma won the race to a Hunter grubber, but the winger was ruled not to have grounded the ball in-goal.
Hull almost snatched victory from the jaws of defeat when Herman Ese’ese burst through from close range, however, a video review ruled the score out as he lost the ball under pressure from man of the match McShane.
GAMESTAR: Former Man of Steel Paul McShane has been a revelation alongside Cody Hunter in the halves, with his experience vital in ensuring the Knights kept their composure.
GAMEBREAKER: Herman Ese’ese’s late try would likely have won the game for Hull in the dying minutes.
HIGHLIGHT REEL: Aidan Sezer’s long-range solo try was some way for him to open his Super League account this season.
ALBERT GOLDTHORPE POINTS
3 pts Paul McShane (York)
2 pts Cody Hunter (York)
1 pt Zak Hardaker (Hull FC)
MATCHFACTS
KNIGHTS
1 Toa Mata’afa
23 Jon Bennison
5 Scott Galeano
26 Nikau Williams
46 David Nofoaluma
37 Cody Hunter
9 Paul McShane
8 Jack Martin
48 Tom Inman
15 Xavier Va’a
21 Kieran Buchanan
20 Oli Field
13 Jordan Thompson
Subs (all used)
6 Ata Hingano
10 Paul Vaughan
14 Denive Balmforth
27 Matty Foster
18th man (not used)
24 Will Dagger
Also in 21-man squad
7 Liam Harris
16 Justin Sangaré
17 Kieran Hudson
Tries: Nofoaluma (9), Bennison (18), Balmforth (43), Williams (60)
Goals: Hunter 0/1, Bennison 2/4
HULL FC
24 Logan Moy
2 Harvey Barron
19 Tom Briscoe
4 Zak Hardaker
5 Lewis Martin
6 Jake Arthur
7 Aidan Sezer
8 Herman Ese’ese
9 Amir Bourouh
10 Harvie Hill
39 Ethan O’Neill
11 Joe Batchelor
15 James Bell
Subs (all used)
14 Cade Cust
20 Yusuf Aydin
26 Hugo Salabio
36 Lennon Clark
18th man (not used)
25 Matty Laidlaw
Also in 21-man squad
12 Jed Cartwright
27 Callum Kemp
32 Lloyd Kemp
Tries: Sezer (24), Briscoe (30), Batchelor (38)
Goals: Hardaker 2/3
SCORING SEQUENCE: 4-0, 8-0, 8-6, 8-10, 8-16; 14-16, 16-16, 20-16
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Knights: Paul McShane; Hull FC: Zak Hardaker
Penalty count: 8-6
Half-time: 8-16
Referee: Tara Jones
Attendance: 5,359