Hull FC started strongly, taking a 28-12 lead into the interval, but by the end of the game they were grateful for the final hooter as they just held on to win 35-32.
Hull gave their supporters plenty of thrills in the first half with some spectacular tries from Albert Kelly, Jake Connor, Mark Minichiello and Jamie Shaul. The Red Devils replied through Pauli Pauli and Jake Bibby.
Robert Lui scored the first try of the second half to reduce the gap to twelve points, but Marc Sneyd added a field goal before Ratu Naulago raced the length of the field to touch down to make the game look safe for Hull at 35-16 on 65 minutes.
But the Red Devils were in no mood to give up and Pauli scored his second try to make it 35-22 before Adam Walker and Chris Green were both sinbinned for fighting and Josh Griffin was given a red card.
The Red Devils then scored late tries from Bibby and Niall Evalds, but they ran out of time and suffered another agonising narrow defeat.
Hull: Jamie Shaul, Ratu Naulago, Jake Connor, Josh Griffin, Bureta Faitamo, Albert Kelly, Marc Sneyd, Chris Green, Danny Houghton, Mickey Paea, Mark Minichiello, Sika Manu, Joe Westerman; Subs: Josh Bowden, Brad Fast, Dean Hadley, Andre Savelio
Tries: Kelly 2, Connor, Minichiello, Shaul, Naulago Goals: Sneyd 5; Field Goal: Sneyd
Red Devils: Niall Evalds, Ken Sio, Kris Welham, Krisnan Inu, Jake Bibby, Robert Lui, Jackson Hastings, Daniel Murray, Joey Lussick, Gil Dudson, Josh Jones, George Griffin, Greg Burke; Subs: Adam Walker, Logan Tomkins, Tyrone McCarthy, Pauli Pauli
Tries: Pauli 2, Bibby 2, Lui, Evalds Goals: Inu 4
A full report and photos from this game will feature in Monday’s League Express.
