Without a win in over two months and on the back of seven consecutive losses and a record Super League defeat at Warrington last time out, there were low expctations amongst Hull FC supporters as they gathered at the KCOM Stadium for tonights Super Eights encounter with the Castleford Tigers.
The Airlie Birds won the last encounter between the two sides, also at the KCOM, back in early May by 36-12 but this time the pundits were strongly backing the Tigers to pick up the two points that they needed to guarantee a top four finish.
This couldn’t be the week that FC rediscovered their form, could it?
After some great early defensive work from Hull it was the Tigers who opened the scoring on eighteen when Mike McMeeken was on hand to dribble a ricocheted grubber over the line and dive on the ball the score. Luke Gale added the conversion for a 6-0 lead.
Castlefords second came on twenty-eight when Junior Moors crashed over the line from short range to push aside the FC tacklers and drop on the line for a four pointer. Gale added the conversion for 12-0.
Three minutes from the interval Greg Eden scored a ninety metre try when he collected the ball off the head of Michael Shenton and raced away from the chasers to go almost the length of the pitch. Gale added the conversion and it was a comfortable 18-0 lead to the visitors, a little harsh on the home side.
Two minutes after the restart Greg Eden got his second of the night running twenty metres through a broken FC defence to dive over. Gale was again accurate with the extras for a 24-0 lead.
James Clare scored a flying try by the right corner flag a split second before being pushed into touch by the Hull cover tackler Jamie Shaul. Gale missed his first kick of the night, from wide on the touchline but the Airlie Birds misery looked certain to continue for an eighth game.
Hull finally grabbed their opening try on fifty-eight when Carlos Tuimavave was on hand to take a dipping pass on a three man overlap to go the last ten metres to ground. Bureta Faraimo was unable to add the conversion.
Hakim Miloudi got Hull’s second on sixty-nine when he dribbled forward and picked up the ball twenty out from his own line before going eighty down the left wing evading a late Paul McShane attempted ankle tap before he dove over to score. Faraimo was unable to add the conversion, FC still well adrift at 8-24.
FC had the best of the remaining action but couldn’t break through the Tigers defence.
It was a far better second half performance from the home side and one which left Daryl Powell’s side a little frustrated that they couldn’t push on and increase the winning margin. Radfords side where in a different class to the side which lost so heavily at Warrington last week but will still wish that this had been their final game of the season.
The Tigers are now confirmed in the top four and with Warrington beating Huddersfield in tonights other match the top four is confirmed as Saints, Wigan, Warrington and Castleford.
FC: Shaul, Faraimo, Tuimavave (T), Scott, Talanoa, Miloudi (T), Harris, Taylor, Houghton, Matongo, Washbrook, Manu, Hadley.Subs: Fash, Bienek, Lane, Litten.
Tigers: Mata’utia, Clare (T), Wardle, Shenton, Eden (2T), Trueman, Gale (4G), Watts, McShane, Millington, Holmes, McMeeken (T), Massey. Subs: Roberts, Moors (T), Milner, Clark.
Referee: Gareth Hewer.
Half-Time: 0-18.
Full-Time: 10-28.
Attendance: .
