If anyone connected to Hull FC needed any stark reminders of the long road still ahead at this club, then this was it, with the Black and Whites producing arguably their worst performance of the John Cartwright era to date in a sloppy 22-14 defeat to Castleford Tigers on Friday night.
Hull’s head coach laid out the warning signs pre-match, with only a strong, disciplined performance enough to get a victory, but his side were just not at it. Their passes didn’t stick, they were off the pace, and they were second best all over the field in what was yet another poor and lethargic home defeat.
A late rally ensured some respectability was gained to the end result, with Lewis Martin getting a try brace, taking his personal tally to 18 for the season from 17 games, but it was all in vain.
Hull were poor, really poor at times, and Castleford fully deserved the two competition points – their fourth victory of the season. They started the game as the more energetic and enthusiastic outfit. Then again, it should have come as no surprise. Danny McGuire said his side would come to throw the ball about – and they did just that. They hit Hull on the very first set and continued to shift play.
On the contrary, the home side was made to rue a sloppy start. Amir Bourouh threw a forward pass on Hull’s first set, and Castleford took advantage. They went wide again, with Innes Senior stretching out to score – with the video referee taking several looks before confirming the on-field decision.
Hull then hit back in what was their only real bright moment of the first half, scoring through Harvey Barron. The winger cut back inside to dot down after Cade Cust’s long pass from dummy half, with the side in good field position after Yusuf Aydin went close.
But the Black and Whites continued to have a degree of sloppiness about them. They were just not at it, in fact, they well off it, and they were punished again through the other Senior twin, Louis. The Castleford centre evaded two tackle attempts from Hull to regain the lead – one Cas took into half-time.
The Fords then extended that lead in the second half, with Daejarn Asi taking a Zac Cini offload to twist his way over. And when Tom Amone charged through the line to score their fourth, it was game, set and match.
That left Hull a mountain to climb. They did rally through two Martin tries. The winger scored first off a Jordan Rapana pass and then after a Davy Litten break, but it was too little too late. Hull deserved nothing, and nothing is what they got, with Castleford running out deserved winners.
Teams
Hull Starting XIII: 1. Jordan Rapana; 2. Harvey Barron, 5. Tom Briscoe, 20. Davy Litten, 22. Lewis Martin; 14. Cade Cust, 7. Aidan Sezer; 8. Herman Ese’ese, 9. Amir Bourouh, 40. Liam Knight; 3. Zak Hardaker, 4. Ed Chamberlain; 16. Yusuf Aydin.
Interchange: 17. Jack Ashworth, 25. Denive Balmforth, 27. Matty Laidlaw, 29. Sam Eseh. 18th Man: 24. Jack Charles
Starting XIII: 3. Zac Cini; 24. Josh Simm, 22. Louis Senior, 4. Sam Wood, 5. Innes Senior; 6. Daejarn Asi, 7. Rowan Milnes; 41. Tom Amone, 9. Liam Horne, 38. Brad Singleton; 10. George Lawler, 12. Alex Mellor; 42. Chris Atkin
Interchange: 13. Joe Westerman, 15. George Griffin, 19. Sam Hall, 26. George Hill
18th Man: 35. Dan Okoro
Scorers
Hull Tries: Barron, Martin 2,
Goals: Sezer 1/2, Hardaker 0/1
Castleford Tries: I.Senior, L.Senior, Asi, Amone
Goals: Milnes 3/4
Scoring System: 0-6, 6-6, 6-12, HT, 6-18, 6-22, 10-22, 14-22, FT
Referee: Liam Hood. Video referee: James Vella
Attendance: TBC