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Hull FC vs Wakefield (H) 18 - 8 Won |
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14/03/08 |
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KC Stadium
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Ashley Klein
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Wakefield Wildcats
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18 - 8
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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.
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. 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.
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| Tony; Sing, Byrne, Yeaman, Raynor; Berrigan, Dykes; Cusack, Lee, King, Radford, Tickle, Washbrook. |
Riley; Gleeson, Henderson, Atkins, Murphy; Grix, Brough; Watene, Leo-Latu, Moore, Ferres, MacGillivray, Ferguson. |
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