Hull FC were deserved winners at the MKM Stadium.
Hull FC’s Lewis Martin on his way to scoring a try.
You can say what you want about John Cartwright’s Hull FC side in 2025, but one thing that is never in doubt is their grit, their resilience, and their willingness to tough it out. Showing their tenacity once again, they displayed spirit in abundance to keep their play-off push alive, defeating Leigh Leopards 18-12 at the MKM Stadium.
The game went right down to the final play, with Leigh keeping the ball alive after the hooter, going coast to coast, and then kicking the ball long, but it was the Black and Whites who came up trumps, with teenager Lloyd Kemp getting to the ball dead on his Super League debut and thumping it into the south stand.
Game, set, and match, with a contest swinging one way and then the other before falling into Hull’s hands, who were led superbly by Zak Hardaker, who played in the halves again and never backed down. The veteran, arguably the club’s player of the year this season, stepped up when Hull needed him. They lost Will Pryce and John Asiata to injuries, and after Cade Cust’s and Liam Watts’ HIAs, they were down to their bare bones, but Hardaker got Hull home. He doesn’t know any other way.
The former Leyther was instrumental, with the away side also doing it tough, losing Gareth O’Brien to an HIA. They also lost Joe Ofahengaue in the first half of a bruising battle that certainly wasn’t for the faint-hearted.
Cartwright made two changes to his side, with Jordan Lane back in the team after four months out and teenager Kemp brought in. But it was the class of another former Leyther in Asiata that told – and especially in the first half.
Hull, playing off their influential loose forward from first receiver, got into position through a favourable all-on call and they didn’t pass up the opportunity, with Cust taking the line on at pace and beating Robbie Mulhern to score.
They could have added to that lead, but an Asiata try was ruled out by referee Chris Kendall for a forward pass. Before that, Leigh had a try of their own disallowed after Hull-born Bailey Hodgson took advantage of an obstruction. And after Pryce limped off, the contest was certainly in the balance.
But Hull, with Kemp entering the field, got the second try their first half performance and territory, deserved. It came through Barron, who finished superbly in the corner after the winger originally kept the ball alive, palming back a kick to Cust, who then fed the winger to finish airborne.
Hardaker’s touchline goal gave Hull a 12-point lead at half-time, with a huge second half then playing out. The home side were dealt the worst possible start to the second forty as Asiata seemed to pull up after kicking the ball. Leigh soon took advantage. They got downfield with Lachlan Lam taking the line on and beating two Hull defenders to score. And the Leythers then drew level as young Kemp was isolated after an offload from Edwin Ipape saw Gareth O’Brien dart over to score.
The momentum seemed to be with Leigh, but it was Hull who struck next to regain the lead after an opportune piece of play from Lewis Martin. The former Hull City academy player used all his football tricks to hack the ball forward, pick it up and race away to score under the sticks for his 28th try of the season.
That saw Hull six points to the good again, with a nervy final quarter of the game unfolding. The two sides exchange HIA blows, with O’Brien first going off and soon joined by Cust. And that wasn’t the last of them, with Liam Watts, after what was a strong performance from the veteran prop, then going off.
But Hull continued to hang on, and they did just that, scrambling after the hooter and their youngest star getting the final say. What a win. The play-off push continues.
Teams
Hull Starting XIII: 6. Will Pryce; 2. Harvey Barron, 5. Tom Briscoe, 20. Davy Litten, 22. Lewis Martin; 3. Zak Hardaker, 14. Cade Cust; 8. Herman Ese’ese, 9. Amir Bourouh, 41. Liam Watts; 11. Jed Cartwright, 12. Jordan Lane; 13. John Asiata
Interchange: 16. Yusuf Aydin, 17. Jack Ashworth, 34. Lloyd Kemp, 39. Sam Eseh. 18th Man: 27. Matty Laidlaw
Starting XIII: 24. Bailey Hodgson; 18. Keanan Brand, 3. Tesi Niu, 4. Umyla Hanley, 5. Josh Charnley; 6. Gareth O’Brien, 7. Lachlan Lam; 32. Joe Ofahengaue, 9. Edwin Ipape, 10. Robbie Mulhern; 11. Frankie Halton, 8. Owen Trout; 13. Isaac Liu.
Interchange: 12. Jack Hughes, 20. Ethan O’Neill, 16. Matt Davis, 22. Ben McNamara. 18th Man: 15. Alec Tuitavake
Scorers
Hull Tries: Cust, Barron, Martin. Goals: Hardaker 3/4
Leigh Tries: Lam, O’Brien. Goals: O’Brien 2/2
Scoring System: 6-0, 12-0, HT, 12-6, 12-12, 18-12, FT
Referee: Chris Kendall. Video referee: Liam Rush
Attendance: 10,863