Match Report
The Red and Whites were left frustrated by chances gone begging as Hull FC hung on for a narrow win at Craven Park...
The Robins' busy Easter weekend got underway with the first Hull derby of the Super League XV season. Ben Cockayne came in for his 100th appearance for the Red and Whites, in place of the unfortunate Liam Colbon, however Peter Fox was passed fit after shaking off a dead leg. Liam Watts was recalled after a week off, and Chaz I'Anson returned to the side after injury, with Josh Hodgson starting from the bench against his former club.
A pre-match shower did nothing to cool a white-hot derby atmosphere, and within the first three minutes, the roof was almost lifted clean off Craven Park.
Under pressure from Ben Galea, Sean Long's pass flew behind his team-mates and was snapped up by Ben Cockayne, who raced 50 metres to dive in under the posts.
Michael Dobson converted, and he extended the Red and Whites' advantage five minutes later. A powerful run by Clint Newton put the Hull defence on the back foot, and Willie Manu was penalised for interference, Dobson taking the two points.
That was the ideal start for the home side, but the Black and Whites were quickly into their stride, looking to keep the ball alive and hit the Robins on the fringes as often as possible, and their tactic quickly paid dividends.
With the game being played at breakneck pace, gaps were beginning to appear, and Manu capitalised, freeing Craig Fitzgibbon, and his offload allowed Tom Briscoe to touch down.
Danny Tickle converted, but a Jordan Tansey knock-on in the next set put the Red and Whites in prime field position, and they took full advantage.
Dobson's long ball allowed Kris Welham to get on the outside of Craig Hall, and he just about had the strength to get the ball down, despite the attentions of Richard Whiting.
Dobson added a superb touchline conversion, but once again, the Black and Whites responded - however it needed more than a small slice of luck to allow them to do so.
Rhys Lovegrove returned the restart, riding a big shoulder charge from Danny Tickle, only for the ball to come free on the floor. Video replays showed that Tickle had reefed the ball out, but referee Richard Silverwood ruled that he had knocked on, and gave Hull the scrum.
Some great scrambling defence from Rovers had stopped Manu and Shaun Berrigan just short of the line, but on the last tackle, Long's deflected grubber was collected and touched down by Fitzgibbon.
Tickle's conversion pulled the visitors to within two points of the Robins, but although there was no change to the scoreline at the break, the introduction of Epalahame Lauaki simply intensified the physical battle between the two teams.
First the former New Zealand Warrior was penalised for holding down and then punching Cockayne, then after some aggressive tackling from Mick Vella and Clint Newton, Lauaki was again guilty of punching - this time striking Newton whilst in possession of the ball.
The Rovers faithful were certainly enjoying the forward battle, but despite some promising attacking positions, the Robins couldn't quite find the final pass to increase their advantage at the break.
Half-Time: Hull KR 14 Hull FC 12
After a mile-a-minute first half, the Robins held a narrow advantage, but the Black and Whites cancelled it out at the first opportunity.
Jason Netherton was penalised for a flop, and Tickle took the two points on offer to level the scores.
The visitors were looking a much more focused side in the second period, frustrating the Robins as they laid siege to the Hull line in search of a score to re-establish their lead.
Instead though, it was the Black and Whites who went ahead, on the hour mark, as quick hands from Long, Richard Horne and Kirk Yeaman put Tansey over at the corner.
From the touchline, Tickle's conversion sailed wide, leaving the Robins just four points adrift, but although they in good field position, they were now finding momentum hard to come by. However five minutes later, they looked to have cut open the Hull defence, only to be denied by the officials.
Scott Murrell switched the direction of play from dummy half, bringing in Ben Galea, and his cut-out ball on the short side put Peter Fox over at the corner. As the Rovers fans celebrated, referee Silverwood referred the decision to the video referee Stuart Cummings, who spotted that Murrell had fumbled the ball at the play-the-ball, and disallowed the try.
The Black and Whites were clinging on desperately to their slender advantage as time ticked down, with a string of penalties allowing the Red and Whites to heap pressure on the Hull line. However with the visitors' defence working overtime to frustrate and cut down Rovers' options, the opportunities that the Red and Whites were managing to create were inevitably coming to people under pressure.
Jake Webster knocked on as he tried to get on the outside of Long, Welham spilled the ball as he made a half break down the Rovers left, and after good interplay from Dobson and I'Anson had opened up the Hull line, the return pass to Dobson fell into the hands of Richard Whiting.
The key moments all seemed to be going Hull's way, as they battled to close the game out, and the Robins' attacks became ever more sporadic as time finally ran out on them, leaving them to rue their missed chances.
Full-Time: Hull KR 14 Hull FC 18
Hull KR: 1. Shaun Briscoe; 2. Peter Fox, 3. Kris Welham, 4. Jake Webster, 28. Ben Cockayne; 19. Chaz I'Anson, 7. Michael Dobson; 20. Mick Vella, 9. Scott Murrell, 30. Joel Clinton; 11. Clint Newton, 16. Jason Netherton, 13. Ben Galea.
Replacements: 21. Josh Hodgson, 8. Rhys Lovegrove, 22. Liam Watts, 10. Scott Wheeldon.
Hull FC: 1. Jordan Tansey; 24. Craig Hall, 21. Richard Whiting, 4. Kirk Yeaman, 3. Tom Briscoe; 6. Richard Horne, 7. Sean Long; 17. Peter Cusack, 9. Shaun Berrigan, 10. Mark O'Meley; 16. Willie Manu, 12. Danny Tickle, 13. Craig Fitzgibbon.
Replacements: 11. Lee Radford, 15. Epalahame Lauaki, 8. Ewan Dowes, 20. Danny Houghton.
Referee: Mr R. Silverwood Attendance: 10,089
