HULL FC 24 LEEDS RHINOS 16
DAVE CRAVEN, MKM Stadium, Sunday

CLASSY John Asiata led from the front as Hull FC finally got back to winning ways.

The influential loose-forward, standing in as captain after Aidan Sezer suffered a training-ground injury during the week, was heavily involved as they defeated error-prone Leeds.

The Airlie Birds had lost three Super League games in a row, and got knocked out of the Challenge Cup in their last outing.

But with Asiata, ex-Leeds star Tom Briscoe and James Bell all showing up well, they at last delivered a first win since the opening-round victory over Bradford Bulls to ease pressure on boss John Cartwright. 

Rhinos, who had also exited the Challenge Cup at the hands of Wakefield, were seeking a fourth straight Super League win.

But their discipline was wretched in a scrappy encounter at the MKM Stadium, Aussie fullback Lachlan Miller summing up their woeful afternoon by twice being penalised for dissent.

Jake Connor put Leeds ahead with a sixth-minute penalty but his former club quickly took control with back-to-back tries.

Bell cut through near halfway from Jake Arthur’s smart pass, the halfback turning up in support to score the second try of his Hull career against dad Brad’s side.

When Miller made the cardinal sin of booting the restart out on the full, the home side were in again.

This time Ligi Sao plundered over from close range after Amir Bourouh dummied out of acting-half, but it was mainly down to shoddy Leeds defence.

Zak Hardaker improved both – the ex-Man of Steel slotted all six of his goals – meaning his side were 12-2 up inside just twelve minutes.

Miller’s afternoon went from bad to worse when he lost the ball coming away from his own 20 – the fullback compounding the error when giving backchat to referee Liam Moore and gifting Hardaker another two points.

However, the Aussie star redeemed himself slightly with a lovely floated midfield chip which James McDonnell lapped up between the posts in the 26th minute.

Connor improved and Leeds then showed their quick-fire scoring ability with a second try in three minutes.

Cade Cust did brilliantly to hold up McDonnell and deny the Perth-bound back-row a second try but his side did score moments later, when a falling Kallum Watkins kept the ball alive for Ash Handley to dink in his own clever chip for Brodie Croft to prosper.

Connor’s conversion levelled it at 14-14 and he slotted a 39th-minute penalty after Chris Hankinson – on his 250th career appearance – was caught high.

But Leeds’ ill-discipline sunk to new lows at the start of the second period.

Super League’s top scorer Maika Sivo conceded a penalty when in possession, shoving an opponent at the play-the-ball.

Hardaker punished the Fiji winger for that indiscretion and the ex-Rhinos star slotted another two points when Leeds conceded two six-agains and a penalty for interference in quick succession.

Lewis Martin produced a great break from the excellent Briscoe’s clever midfield pass which – after more Leeds ill-discipline – eventually saw Asiata’s wonderful left-footed grubber bounce up perfectly for Davy Litten to cross.

Hull’s Brad Fash had another try chalked off while Rhinos debutant Jack Bird was lucky only to concede a penalty late on when the NRL signing lashed out with a forearm at Bourouh.

GAMESTAR: John Asiata was brilliant in the middle for Hull, silky and controlled.

GAMEBREAKER: Davy Litten’s try always looked like being enough for Hull FC.

HIGHLIGHT REEL: Some of John Asiata’s handling and kicking was a joy to watch; so skilful for such a big man.

ALBERT GOLDTHORPE POINTS
3 pts John Asiata (Hull FC)
2 pts Tom Briscoe (Hull FC)
1 pt Zak Hardaker (Hull FC)

MATCHFACTS

HULL FC
4 Zak Hardaker
19 Tom Briscoe
3 Davy Litten
21 Arthur Romano
5 Lewis Martin
6 Jake Arthur
14 Cade Cust
10 Harvie Hill
9 Amir Bourouh
18 Ligi Sao
15 James Bell
22 Connor Bailey
13 John Asiata
Subs
16 Sam Lisone
23 Brad Fash
25 Matty Laidlaw
27 Callum Kemp (not used)
18th man (not used)
24 Logan Moy
Also in 21-man squad
29 Will Hutchinson
30 Will Kirby
35 Ben Johnson

Tries: Arthur (8), Sao (12), Litten (52)
Goals: Hardaker 6/6

RHINOS
1 Lachlan Miller
14 Chris Hankinson
3 Harry Newman
4 Ash Handley
2 Maika Sivo
6 Brodie Croft
7 Jake Connor
8 Mikolaj Oledzki
23 Danny Levi
13 Keenan Palasia
11 Kallum Watkins
12 James McDonnell
17 Cameron Smith
Subs (all used)
9 Jarrod O’Connor
10 Tom Holroyd
15 Cooper Jenkins
33 Jack Bird (D)
18th man (not used)
16 Ethan O’Neill
Also in 21-man squad
5 Ryan Hall
19 Jeremiah Mata’utia
25 Ben Littlewood

Tries: McDonnell (26), Croft (31)
Goals: Connor 4/5

SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-2, 6-2, 12-2, 14-2, 14-8, 14-14, 14-16; 16-16, 18-16, 24-16

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Hull FC: John Asiata; Rhinos: James McDonnell

Penalty count: 7-8
Half-time: 14-16
Referee: Liam Moore
Attendance: 12,871