Round 6
Hull FC 18 d. Wakefield Trinity Wildcats 8

2008 engage English Super League Index [Table] [Draw] [Player Stats] [Club Headlines]

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

Hull FC hold off resilient Wakefield
Sat March 15, 2008
Source: www.superleague.co.uk

Hull FC produced a nervous performance to see off the challenge of the resilient Wakefield Wildcats 18-8 and add some stability to their stuttering start to the engage Super League season.

Peter Sharp's side had only won one of their five games this campaign going into the clash against John Kear's injury-hit team, but for large spells it looked as though Kear was going to inflict more misery on his former club.

Kear was sacked by the Black and Whites two years ago, but returned in triumphant style last season to guide his side to a 19-6 win that still rankles with Hull.

But, orchestrated superbly by scrum-half Adam Dykes, Hull found enough composure in the second half to get their noses in front once and for all.

To their credit, Wakefield, who went in the game bereft of six first-team players, belied their inexperience with a dogged showing but had little or no answers to Dykes and Todd Byrne's tries.

Their quest for able bodies over the coming weeks was not helped however by Tevita Leo-Latu's late dismissal for a high shot on Dykes.

If the home side were suffering a hangover from their dramatic defeat to St Helens a week ago, they did not show it in a start which saw them deservedly open up an eight-point lead.

Paul King set the tone with a thunderous hit on Kevin Henderson that won Hull possession, and it was not long before Byrne was opening the scoring in the third minute.

On the back of King's tackle, Hull won two penalties and marched their way to the Wakefield line where a neat pass from Shaun Berrigan allowed Byrne to brush his way past the Wakefield cover and notch his first Hull try.

Danny Tickle added the goal and a penalty 10 minutes later but, aside from the points, it was the manner of Hull's play that caught the eye as Dykes in particular looked a potent menace to Wakefield's tender defence.

With that considered, it was something of a surprise but of enormous credit to Wakefield that they went in level at the break.

When Danny Brough was afforded the room to kick he duly obliged with a couple of tasty bombs that caused mayhem in the Hull defence, a trait that was still evident when Dale Ferguson crashed over in the 23rd minute.

It looked as though there was little danger when the Hull defence wrapped Danny Sculthorpe up close to the line, but somehow the prop snuck his way out of the tackle and fed Ferguson who nipped in to score.

Brough converted and slotted a penalty on 32 minutes as the Wildcats settled, although Hull were not without chances as it took a fine tackle from Duncan MacGillivray to stop Danny Houghton as the hooker weaved through.

The interval saved Hull from losing their grip on the game, but Brough ensured the pressure was maintained after the restart.

He nearly created a try for Shaun Gleeson with a kick that bamboozled Gareth Raynor and saw his short pass nearly send Adam Watene crashing in.

But it was Hull that edged in front against the run of play, although Dykes' assist for Byrne's second try was worthy of the score. He ran at the defence before standing a deft kick up for Byrne who fought for the ball and eventually grounded.

The score seemed to deflate Wakefield, who were set further back by a Tickle penalty, the first of six awarded against the visitors in succession, ensuring they enjoyed little field possession as the game entered a crucial period.

Any hope they did have of a late fightback then ended when Leo-Latu saw red for a nasty looking hit on Dykes, whilst Tickle's subsequent fifth goal brought the scoring to an end.

Report source: www.superleague.co.uk

Article: Duo earn Sharp plaudits

Advanced Search