HULL FC 16 WAKEFIELD TRINITY 10
JAMES CHESTNEY, MKM Stadium, Thursday
AFTER 355 days, Hull FC finally won again at home to leapfrog Wakefield and back into the top six.
In an error-strewn game of differing halves, three tries in eleven minutes in the second half proved the difference as Hull tasted MKM Stadium success for the first time since beating Wigan last July.
Hull looked to have scored on two minutes when a Davy Litten 40-metre break saw the ball go wide, but the Jed Cartwright pass taken by Harvey Barron was called forward and the try claim turned down.
An error from Amir Bourouh led to a kick through by Max Jowitt but a superb tackle from Zak Hardaker stopped Josh Rourke before a Mason Lino kick was put dead by Lewis Martin.
Hull’s poor discipline was evident when Liam Knight was guilty of interference, leaving Jowitt to land a 40-metre penalty for a 2-0 lead.
A charge down by Ed Chamberlain on his head led to an HIA, which he failed, and saw further Trinity pressure but Jay Pitts lost the ball.
Knight, on his 100th appearance, came up with another error, but an unnecessary push by Brad Fash, making his 200th career appearance, on Rourke led to Jowitt doubling the Trinity lead from 25 metres out.
Both sides then had to make changes when Hull’s Sam Eseh and Trinity’s Mike McMeeken went off for HIAs, but they both returned in the second half.
With three minutes to go to the break substitute Harvey Smith darted away after a Thomas Doyle offload on halfway and sent Jowitt under the posts, and the scorer also added the conversion for a 10-0 half-time lead.
Hull showed more promise right from the start of the second half, and had an early chance but Barron was tackled into touch by Cameron Scott and Jayden Myers.
Back-to-back penalties saw Hull attack again and this time they get over the line with a try for Hardaker as he darted over from acting half, passing the personal milestone of 1000 Super League points in the process.
Jack Charles added the conversion as the home side started to take the game to the visitors, but Eseh dropped a Cartwright ball with the line open.
Hull were now on top as, on the hour, Jordan Rapana got the ball down after Trinity failed to take an Aidan Sezer high kick. Charles failed to add the conversion as Bourouh failed an HIA.
The home side took the lead with their third try in eleven minutes when Martin forced his way to the line through three defenders, the video referee sticking with the on-field decision of a try as Charles was on target for a 16-10 lead.
And Hull successfully closed out this long-awaited home win with strong defence in the latter stages.
GAMESTAR: Zak Hardaker gave a superb performance at fullback including his 1000th Super League point.
GAMEBREAKER: The three tries in eleven minutes saw Hull take the lead and Wakefield onto the back foot.
HIGHLIGHT REEL: The Harvey Smith break for the opening try of the game by Max Jowitt.
ALBERT GOLDTHORPE POIMTS
3 pts Zak Hardaker (Hull FC)
2 pts Aidan Sezer (Hull FC)
1 pt Mason Lino (Wakefield)
MATCHFACTS
HULL FC
3 Zak Hardaker
2 Harvey Barron
1 Jordan Rapana
20 Davy Litten
22 Lewis Martin
14 Cade Cust
7 Aidan Sezer
8 Herman Ese’ese
9 Amir Bourouh
40 Liam Knight
11 Jed Cartwright
4 Ed Chamberlain
16 Yusuf Aydin
Subs (all used)
17 Jack Ashworth
19 Brad Fash
24 Jack Charles
39 Sam Eseh
18th man (not used)
5 Tom Briscoe
Also in 21-man squad
23 Logan Moy
27 Matty Laidlaw
33 Will Hutchinson
Tries: Hardaker (55), Rapana (60), Martin (66)
Goals: Charles 2/3
TRINITY
23 Josh Rourke
2 Lachlan Walmsley
3 Cameron Scott
4 Corey Hall
30 Jayden Myers
6 Max Jowitt
20 Mason Lino
8 Mike McMeeken
9 Liam Hood
15 Caleb Hamlin-Uele
12 Josh Griffin
18 Isaiah Vagana
13 Jay Pitts
Subs (all used)
11 Seth Nikotemo
14 Thomas Doyle
28 Harvey Smith
31 Caius Faatili
18th man (not used)
35 Ellis Lingard
Also in 21-man squad
5 Tom Johnstone
7 Oliver Russell
33 Noah High
Tries: Jowitt (37)
Goals: Jowitt 3/3
SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-2, 0-4, 0-10; 6-10, 10-10, 16-10
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Hull FC: Zak Hardaker; Trinity: Mason Lino
Penalty count: 11-4
Half-time: 0-10
Referee: James Vella
Attendance: 10,041