Round 14
Leeds Rhinos 28 l. Hull FC 44

2006 English Super League Index [Table] [Draw] [Player Stats] [Club Headlines]

Location: United Kingdom > National > First Grade Competition: English Super League

Hull FC make it six from six
Sun May 14, 2006
Source: www.hullfc.com

Form team Hull FC climbed to third place in the engage Super League with their first win at Headingley for five years.

Hull produced some breathtaking rugby to register a sixth successive win, their third under new coach Peter Sharp, and condemn Leeds to a second home defeat of the season.

The Rhinos, who have lost three of their six matches since losing skipper Kevin Sinfield with knee and ankle injuries, are now six points behind St leaders Helens but only two ahead of resurgent Hull.

Leeds trailed 36-6 after 46 minutes before managing to restore some pride with four tries in the last 22 minutes.

But home fans among the 17,700 capacity crowd began leaving long before the end and the Rhinos' misery was compounded by the loss of full-back Richie Mathers with a leg injury.

Stand-off Paul Cooke was Hull's hero, helping to create a hat-trick of tries for Great Britain winger Gareth Raynor and kicking eight goals from as many attempts.

With Cooke and half-back partner Richard Horne calling the shots behind an impressive pack and full-back Motu Tony causing havoc with his runs from deep, Hull were the more threatening team from the start.

They breached the Leeds line as early as the seventh minute, only for Sid Domic to be turned on his back but opened the scoring two minutes later when Horne raced onto a deft kick from second rower Shayne McMenemy to grab the decisive touch.

Leeds, playing to a third full house of the season, drew level when hooker Matt Diskin continued a half-break by Rob Burrow and offloaded to the supporting Mathers for a try which was goaled by Burrow.

The Rhinos were the last team to beat Hull but they were outplayed in every department tonight and the visitors' superiority told with three further tries in the second quarter.

McMenemy glided through a gap to touch down and then Cooke put his side in total command with two delightful skilful touches.

Raynor scored unmarked after taking his long, cut-out pass and claimed a second after racing onto one of his precision kicks to the corner.

The half-time hooter could not come soon enough for Leeds but there was no respite as Hull quickly picked up from where they left off in the first half.

Raynor completed an 18-minute hat-trick within 90 seconds of the re-start when another long pass from Cooke created space for Horne to get the winger in at the corner.

And Cooke was instrumental in Hull's next score, working the ball out wide for centre Kirk Yeaman to register his 20th try of the season following a break down the middle by impressive full-back Tony.

Leeds hit back on 58 minutes when stand-off Danny McGuire scored a brilliant solo try, his 18th of the season, and then broke clear to send centre Keith Senior over.

Senior grabbed a second try and winger Lee Smith also claimed a consolation score but Hull were simply irresistible and they sent their 2,000 fans wild with delight when Domic carved out an opening for winger Nathan Blacklock to sprint in from halfway for his side's seventh try.

Report source: www.hullfc.com

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