Hull FC were well-beaten by Wakefield.
Hull FC winger Tom Briscoe. (Image: Dave Lofthouse, Hull FC)
Hull FC had the endeavour but not the quality against Wakefield Trinity, with a perfect storm unfolding at the MKM Stadium as the West Yorkshire outfit ran out 36-10 winners on Friday night.
Daryl Powell’s side had a strong first half to thank, with Trinity 24-0 to the good at the break. Hull briefly responded in the second half, but the damage was already done.
It wasn’t through the lack of trying, but ultimately, Hull – still understrength as they navigate their way through a ridiculous injury crisis – came up against a genuine top-six quality opponent, and they showed their credentials with some fine passages of play.
Andy Last’s side were up against it from the off. With 14 still out to injury and suspension, they welcomed back Davy Litten into the fold in their one and only change. However, that was the only respite they got, with the first half bringing early HIAs for both Amir Bourouh and Harvie Hill. Thankfully, both players passed their checks, but the disruption didn’t help Hull, who also saw Will Kirby limp off with a knee issue, get into their flow.
Once again, Hull’s brightest spark was Logan Moy. The young full-back was a livewire with his running game, creating some openings in the Wakefield defence. He took the club Player of the Match award again, but unfortunately, those moments were too few and far between, with Hull well beaten for their tenth Super League defeat of the season.
The Black and Whites, looking to go back-to-back after last week’s win over Huddersfield Giants, tried to start the game with some intent. They got into good ball opportunity first but any hopes of landing the first punch were soon squandered as Jed Cartwright saw his pocket pinched in a one on one tackle and Wakefield soon scoring at the other end.
From the resulting set, Jake Trueman found Tom Johnstone who finished superbly. Hull tried to threaten again but coughed up the ball close to the Wakefield line. It came at a cost again, with the winger then adding a second try, cutting inside after a looping Trueman pass to score – whose influence against his former club grew on his 150th Super League appearance.
Hull, who had to throw Hugo Salabio and Will Hutchinson on earlier than planned, tried to get back into it, but a sin bin for Herman Ese’ese for a high tackle on Johnstone proved costly, with Trinity adding two more tries while a man to the good. First, Seth Nikotemo ran a strong line to burst through the Hull defence, and then Mike McMeeken added their fourth try after a basketball-like sequence of passing – with Daryl Powell’s side keeping the ball alive to effect and taking a 24-0 lead into the break.
Hull tried to come out firing in the second half. They certainly don’t throw the towel in these days and after forcing a Wakefield error deep in their own half, they struck. From the scrum, Aidan Sezer found Tom Briscoe with a looping pass – and the winger did the rest, running away to score in the corner.
The home side kept going. They got over again through Litten, who was put in the clear by Briscoe after good work from Sezer and Moy for a superb long-range try. But an error from Joe Batchelor killed the momentum, and Wakefield – a man up again after a sin bin for Jeremiah Mata’utia for another high tackle – then closed the game out.
They camped on Hull’s line for what seemed an eternity, and after Harvey Smith went close, Jazz Tevaga bundled over from dummy half to seal the win. Nikotemo then crashed over on the final play to add the gloss – and that was that.
Teams
Hull Starting XIII: 24. Logan Moy; 2. Harvey Barron, 39. Ethan O’Neill, 3. Davy Litten, 19. Tom Briscoe; 6. Jake Arthur, 7. Aidan Sezer; 38. Jeremiah Mata’utia, 9. Amir Bourouh, 10. Harvie Hill; 11. Joe Batchelor, 12. Jed Cartwright; 30. Will Kirby.
Interchange: 8. Herman Ese’ese, 26. Hugo Salabio, 29. Will Hutchinson, 40. Max Wood. 18th Man: 32. Lloyd Kemp
Wakefield Starting XIII: 1. Max Jowitt; 5. Tom Johnstone, 14. Jay Pitts, 3. Cameron Scott, 23. Josh Rourke; 6. Jake Trueman, 20. Jack Sinfield; 8. Mike McMeeken, 9. Tyson Smoothy, 10. Ky Rodwell; 11. Seth Nikotemo, 13. Isaiah Vagana; 13. Jazz Tevaga.
Interchange: 15. Caleb Hamlin-Uele, 16. Caius Faatili, 18. Harvey Smith, 31. Kian McGann. 18th Man: 24. Tray Lolesio
Scorers
Hull Tries: Briscoe, Litten. Goals: Sezer 1/2
Wakefield Tries: Johnstone 2, Nikotemo, McMeeken, Tevaga. Goals: Jowitt 5/5
Scoring System: 0-6, 0-12, 0-18, 0-24, HT, 4-24, 10-24, 10-30, 10-36, FT
Referee: Aaron Moore. Video Referee: James Vella
Attendance: 12,161