LONDON BRONCOS almost registered their first win of the 2024 Super League season with Hull FC’s Morgan Smith crossing in the 79th minute to hand the Black and Whites a 28-24 win.
The Broncos started the brighter of the two sides, halfback James Meadows kicking a superb 40/20 before he himself dotted down an excellent Jack Campagnolo reverse grubber in the 14th minute. For the first time in 2024, London held a lead with Oli Leyland missing the conversion.
But, FC weren’t behind for long as Nick Staveley powered over Leyland after taking a great short pass from Morgan Smith. Darnell McIntosh converted for a 6-4 lead.
The Black and Whites were growing in confidence and a brilliant move from right to left saw debutant Matty Russell cut inside and scamper to the line. McIntosh made it 12-4 with the boot.
Russell went from hero to villain moments later, however, as he hit Leyland high with the halfback backing up a stellar kick and break from the Broncos.
That almost led to a London try, but Jordan Williams’ effort was ruled out due to an obstruction on Ligi Sao. That mistake was punished just before the break when Lewis Martin intercepted a Leyland pass to sprint 60 metres. McIntosh couldn’t convert, but Hull led 16-4 at half-time.
The Broncos started the second forty minutes in perfect fashion, Lee Kershaw picking up a pinpoint Meadows grubber to cross expertly in the corner. Leyland converted to reduce the deficit to just six at 16-10.
Shellshocked, the Black and Whites found themselves pulled back once more on 52 minutes as Hakim Miloudi plucked out a superb Campagnolo crossfield kick out of the air to dot down under the posts. Leyland missed the relatively simple conversion with London trailing 16-14.
But back came Tony Smith’s men with Sao’s charging run laying the platform for Fa’amanu Brown to extend Hull’s lead to 22-14 with McIntosh’s conversion.
The Black and Whites, however, let Meadows’ kick-off bounce over the deadball line and the Broncos duly punished their opponents with Miloudi once more taking advantage of a brilliant stab through from Meadows on the hour. Leyland, however, missed the extras once more with the Broncos back to within four points at 22-18.
Martin should have had his second with 15 minutes to go but the Hull winger inexplicably dropped the ball and Robbie Storey punished the hosts after intercepting Sao’s pass to run 80 metres and level the scores. Leyland converted brilliantly to put London into a 24-22 lead with four minutes to go.
But, Hull managed to win with seconds remaining as Morgan Smith carved his way through a heartbroken London defence. McIntosh converted to round off the scoring at 28-24.
Hull FC
31 Jack Walker
41 Matty Russell
5 Darnell McIntosh
3 Carlos Tuimavave
26 Lewis Martin
19 Morgan Smith
7 Fa’amanu Brown
16 Jack Ashworth
9 Danny Houghton
12 Ligi Sao
11 Jayden Okunbor
24 Nick Staveley
15 Jordan Lane
Substitutes
20 Jack Brown
29 Charlie Severs
40 Jack Charles
42 Joe Bullock
Tries: Staveley (18), Russell (28), Martin (38), F Brown (55), Smith (79)
Goals: McIntosh 4/5
Sinbin: Russell (30) – high tackle
London Broncos
20 Oli Leyland
2 Lee Kershaw
21 Robbie Storey
3 Jarred Bassett
4 Hakim Miloudi
6 Jack Campagnolo
7 James Meadows
8 Rob Butler
9 Sam Davis
19 Rhys Kennedy
11 Will Lovell
29 Jacob Jones
13 Dean Parata
Substitutes
5 Iliess Macani
15 Marcus Stock
16 Jordan Williams
30 Fenton Rogers
Tries: Meadows (14), Kershaw (42), Miloudi (52, 62), Storey (73)
Goals: Leyland 2/5
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