HULL FC took on Hull KR tonight in one of the most hotly-anticipated derbies in recent seasons, but it was Rovers that took home the spoils with a 22-0 win over their bitter rivals.
In front of a packed-out MKM Stadium, Rovers began the brighter of the two sides with Niall Evalds sliding over in the corner after a great offload from Tom Opacic. Peta Hiku couldn’t convert as KR led 4-0.
Things went from bad to worse for the hosts with Joe Cator leaving the field with a hamstring injury before Herman Ese’ese was handed a yellow card for a high tackle on Rovers’ new signing Kelepi Tanginoa in the 11th minute.
Rovers were in the mood for blood and it was Tanginoa who doubled the visitors’ lead just before the halfway point in the first-half, powering through a gap provided by Mikey Lewis. Hiku couldn’t convert again as Rovers led 8-0.
Lewis showed his magic with a brilliant dummy through the heart of the Black and Whites’ defence to extend the visitors’ lead to 12-0 before Hiku converted to make it 14-0 as half-time approached.
But, there was still time for new Hull signing Franklin Pele to lose his head and launch a swinging arm at KR captain Elliot Minchella on the stroke of half-time. Referee Liam Moore had no choice but to show a red card for the former Canterbury man.
It took until the hour before Rovers forced their way over again, this time Lewis turned provider to send over Matt Parcell close to the line. Hiku was again wayward as Willie Peters’ men led 18-0.
Hiku had the chance to notch another two points with a penalty as the game entered the final ten minutes, but his penalty went wayward.
And there was still time for Ligi Sao to be harshly red carded for a knee to Matt Parcell’s head as the latter was sinbinned for foul play before Evalds slid in for his second on the hooter. James Batchelor couldn’t convert as Rovers inflicted a 22-0 defeat.
Hull FC
31 Jack Walker
26 Lewis Martin
4 Liam Sutcliffe
17 Cam Scott
5 Darnell McIntosh
19 Morgan Smith
7 Fa’amanu Brown
8 Herman Ese’ese
9 Danny Houghton
10 Franklin Pele
11 Jayden Okunbor
12 Ligi Sao
14 Joe Cator
Substitutes
1 Tex Hoy
15 Jordan Lane
16 Jack Ashworth
20 Jack Brown
18th man
23 Davy Litten
Tries:
Goals:
Sinbin: Ese’ese (high tackle) – 11
Red card: Pele (swinging arm) – 39, Sao (knee) – 72
Hull KR
1 Peta Hiku
2 Niall Evalds
3 Tom Opacic
4 Oliver Gildart
5 Ryan Hall
27 Tyrone May
7 Mikey Lewis
11 Dean Hadley
9 Jez Litten
16 Jai Whitbread
20 Kelepi Tanginoa
12 James Batchelor
13 Elliot Minchella
Substitutes
8 Sauaso Sue
10 George King
14 Matt Parcell
19 Yusuf Aydin
18th man
21 Corey Hall
Tries: Evalds (5, 80), Tanginoa (18), Lewis (37), Parcell (58)
Goals: Hiku 1/5, Batchelor 0/1
Sinbin: Parcell (foul play) – 72
Scoring sequence: 0-4, 0-8, 0-14; 0-18
Half-time: 0-14
Referee: Liam Moore
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