Another defeat, but it had a different manner about it.
Hull FC full-back Logan Moy.(Image: SW PIX)
Hull FC produced a much-improved performance at Leigh Leopards on Friday night, even if the end result doesn’t show it, with the Leythers clicking into gear in the second half and running away for a 42-6 victory.
Depleted, decimated and down to their bare bones, Andy Last’s side played with plenty of freedom, grit, courage and heart, despite their eventual defeat. They were fearless, especially in the first-half, where territory was on an even keel. They threw some shapes at Leigh, with Callum Kemp and Logan Moy excelling in a youthful side containing nine academy products – seven aged 21 or younger, and many of which stood up tall alongside gutsy contributions from Zak Hardaker and Tom Briscoe on his 200th club appearance.
However, Leigh stepped it up after the break, running away with a contest that was only 12-6 at the break. Now in touching distance of the Super League play-offs, Adrian Lam’s side found their groove and played at speed, something Hull couldn’t contain as the game wore on and ultimately, fatigue played its part.
In total, the Black and Whites made seven changes from Sunday’s defeat to Bradford Bulls, with Davy Litten the latest injury casualty, dropping out of the side with a knee issue. That meant Hull’s absentee list extended to 16, with Aidan Sezer also dropped for performance reasons.
That saw Last bring in two young players on debut, with Ben Johnson starting at centre and Lennon Clark coming off the bench. Hull also fielded the Kemp twins, Callum and Lloyd, with both teens standing tall. Elsewhere, Logan Moy continued his good form, with Will Hutchinson, Will Kirby, and Hugo Salabio all coming into the side.
Hull, who saw Jake Arthur leave the field for an HIA inside the opening ten minutes, fronted up early on, showing plenty of grit and spirit to get a foothold in the contest. They weathered the storm and built into the game and had their opportunities to strike. However, it was Leigh who opened the scoring, with veteran winger Josh Charnley touching down out wide.
Digging in, the Black and Whites soon hit back, with their own elder statesman, Hardaker, pouncing on a Cade Cust kick to the in-goal to strike. And after Hardaker’s conversion, it was the visitors who surprisingly took the lead.
Hull held that lead at the half-hour mark but Leigh upped the ante before the break to score two more tries. First, Charnley scored again after Umyla Hanley’s inside pass, with AJ Towse then showing a fair burst of speed to touch down out wide.
Adam Cook’s missed conversions kept Hull in the contest, and they went close to levelling the scores at the start of the second half. A slick pass from C. Kemp put Harvey Barron into space, and after Moy was brought down inches short of the line, Arthur squandered the opportunity on the next play.
Leigh, a much-improved outfit themselves in recent weeks, then began to pull away, scoring through Hanley out wide, who came into the attacking line well to finish out wide. Frankie Halton was next to score, bursting through the Hull defence to add another, and then it was just a case of how many.
Charnley completed his hat-trick close to the hour mark, finishing another free-flowing move, with David Armstrong then cutting back on the inside to score.
Hull-bound Bailey Hodgson then got in on the act after being introduced off the bench, adding another Leigh try. But FC continued to dig in, and as Armstrong raced down the left touchline, their tenacity was summed up as Moy hammered the full-back into touch, with pride on the line and heads held high.
That didn’t stop Leigh getting the final say, with Lachlan Lam scoring in the final minute for the Leopards’ ninth and final try, but while it’s another defeat for Hull, their third in a row, the manner of it, especially compared to recent outings against Toulouse and Bradford, was completely different. Down but not out.
Teams
Leigh Starting XIII: 1. David Armstrong; 20. AJ Towse, 19. Innes Senior, 4. Umyla Hanley, 5. Josh Charnley; 6. Adam Cook, 7. Lachlan Lam; 8. Joe Ofahengaue, 9. Edwin Ipape, 22. Jack Hughes; 11. Frankie Halton, 15. Jacob Alick-Wiencke; 13. Isaac Liu
Interchange: 18. Bailey Hodgson, 28. Ryan Brown, 25. Louis Brogan, 17. Liam Horne. 18th Man: 21. Gareth O’Brien
Hull Starting XIII : 24. Logan Moy; 2. Harvey Barron, 32. Lloyd Kemp, 35. Ben Johnson, 19. Tom Briscoe; 27. Callum Kemp, 6. Jake Arthur; 38. Jeremiah Mata’utia, 14. Cade Cust, 10. Harvie Hill; 11. Joe Batchelor, 39. Ethan O’Neill; 4. Zak Hardaker.
Interchange: 26. Hugo Salabio, 29. Will Hutchinson, 30. Will Kirby, 36. Lennon Clark. 18th Man: 28. Joe Phillips
Scorers
Leigh Tries: Charnley 3, Towse, Hanley, Halton, Armstrong, Hodgson. Goals: Cook 3/8, Hanley 0/1
Hull Tries: Hardaker. Goals: Hardaker 1/1
Scoring System: 4-0, 4-6, 8-6, 12-6, HT, 16-6, 22-6, 26-6, 30-6, 36-6, 42-6, FT
Referee: Liam Moore. Video Referee: Chris Kendall
Attendance: 8,216