Super League: Hull KR beat Hull FC 20-16 to secure their first derby win in eight
Last updated on .From the section Rugby League
| Betfred Super League |
|---|
| Hull FC (0) 16 |
| Tries: Abdull, Griffin, Minichiello Goals: Sneyd 2 |
| Hull KR (16) 20 |
| Tries: Hall 2, Tickle Goals: Tickle 3, Hall |
Hull KR survived a second-half Hull FC fightback on an error-strewn night at the KCOM Stadium to win their first derby in eight attempts.
A pre-match downpour made conditions treacherous and Rovers adapted better, scoring three tries through ex-FC players Craig Hall and Danny Tickle.
Hull fought back after the break, adding three scores of their own with Rovers' Maurice Blair in the sin-bin.
However, Tickle showed his mettle to kick two match-winning goals.
With Rovers already condemned to the bottom four and a battle for Super League survival, much of the pressure was on Hull and this result was a crushing blow to any lingering top-four ambitions.
In fact, Huddersfield's win against Wakefield took them fifth and pushed Hull down into sixth, seven points behind Castleford with seven games to play.
After last weekend's 72-10 defeat by Wakefield, it was expected that Lee Radford's side would respond but it was Rovers, bolstered by new arrivals Ben Crooks and Hall - both of whom previously wore the black and white - who proved devastating in a brilliantly executed first half.
Crooks' chase forced a drop out which Rovers punished with a try when Blair released Hall out wide to score, and the duo were again involved for the second, finished after an 80-metre hack and chase.
Tickle's try on the cusp of the hooter looked to have put Rovers in a commanding position but, just as they did on Good Friday in 2016, Hull FC launched a comeback that had Rovers wobbling.
Ex-Rovers loanee Jordan Abdull pounced, then Josh Griffin got to a spilled high kick before Mark Minichiello wriggled out of a tackle to score and a second Marc Sneyd goal brought the scores level.
Having expended so much energy, the fired-up hosts chased the win but indiscipline handed the momentum back to Rovers, and Tickle - so reliable with the boot - twice found the mark to give experienced head coach Tim Sheens his first taste of derby victory.
Hull FC: Shaul; Faraimo, Griffin, Tuimavave, Talanoa; Abdull, Sneyd; Taylor, Houghton, Matongo, Minichiello, Washbrook, Manu.
Replacements: Fash, Paea, Lane, Harris.
Hull KR: Quinlan; Hall, Crooks, Salter, Oakes; Blair, Atkin; Jewitt, Cator, Mulhern, Tickle, Clarkson, Kavanagh.
Replacements: Scruton, Donaldson, Wardill, Carney.
Referee: Gareth Hewer
