A sizzling second-half showing helped Hull FC Reserves onto a 26-18 comeback victory over Leeds Rhinos Reserves at Hull Sports Centre.
Hull trailed 12-0 after half-an-hour, but Jeylan Hodgson’s late try before the break was just the tonic for the Black & Whites.
Joe Ward ran in an acrobatic second-half brace, with Jack Charles and Jack Walker also contributing to an impressive victory for Francis Cummins’ side.
The Match
Hull came flying out of the gate early on, and the hosts thought they had taken the lead inside three minutes, but Marcus Qareqare scrambled remarkably well to bundle Ward into touch before he could dot the ball down.
Although the Black & Whites continued to apply the pressure, it was first blood to Leeds thanks to neat footwork from Jack Sinfield, taking advantage of an opening in the defensive line and finding speedster Shane Tuohey in support to score.
Despite the early score from Leeds, Hull still looked more likely in the first-half, enjoying better territory. But they failed to make it pay, albeit against a Rhinos defence that had a thirst for interceptions.
But when they did get into a striking position, Leeds cashed in. Ball-playing forward Presley Cassell demonstrated his catch-and-pass skills to quickly tip the ball onto strong prop Tom Nicholson-Watton, barging over from close range underneath the sticks.
Leeds threatened a quickfire double, but a potential third try of the afternoon was chalked off as Leon Ruan was penalised for a double movement.
And it didn’t take Hull long to provide a response. A teasing run out of dummy-half from Jeylan Hodgson caused confusion in the Leeds defensive line, and the young hooker brushed off Nicholson-Watton before grounding the ball underneath the posts.
HALF-TIME: Hull Reserves 6-12 Rhinos Reserves
A try not long after the half-time break started off what proved to be a fruitful second-half for the Black & Whites. Kye Armstrong’s offload almost enabled Callum Shaw to dart over the try-line, but it was ultimately his quick play-the-ball that afforded FC the extra body down the short side, and Ward was able to squeeze in at the corner at the second time of asking.
Dancing feet from Charles put Hull FC’s Reserves in front for the first time ten minutes into the second-half, the stand-off making it look easy against what had been a generally resolute Rhinos defence.
The Hull onslaught continued early in the second-half as Josh Gillespie couldn’t clear his lines when Jack Walker slid in a teasing grubber kick – Joe Ward accepted the invitation to score, dotting down just before the ball ran dead.
Walker then demonstrated his ball-running capabilities, turning Toby Warren inside out before sliding in underneath the sticks to put the Black & Whites into a relatively comfortable 26-12 lead – and they were looking good value for it on their resounding second-half showing.
FC did well to nullify the threat in the closing stages of the game, but they will have been frustrated to have conceded such a late try. It came as George Brown slipped, regathered his footing and ducked low to score.
FULL-TIME: Hull Reserves 26-18 Rhinos Reserves
Squads & Scorers
Hull: Walker, Tindall, Shaw, Westerman, Ward, Charles, Kemp, Gardiner, Hodgson, Laidlaw, Kirby, Armstrong, Jebson
Hull Interchanges: Baker, Clark, Thompson, Windley
Hull Tries: Hodgson, Ward (2), Charles, Walker
Hull Goals: Charles (3/5)
Rhinos: Tuohey, Gillespie, Qareqare, Venables, Taylor, Brown, Sinfield, Warren, Corbett, Nicholson-Watton, Gilmore, Ruan, Robinson
Rhinos Interchanges: Aliyu, Brennan-Jones, Cassell, Diskin
Rhinos Tries: Tuohey, Nicholson-Watton, Brown
Rhinos Goals: Sinfield (3/3)
STORY SPONSOR
