Hull storm back to defeat Wakefield Wildcats
Saturday, 12 Jul 2008 20:56
Willie Manu led the Hull fightback
Hull scored 20 points in the second-half to claim an impressive 26-18 victory over Wakefield Wildcats at the Belle Vue.
The visitors trailed 12-6 at half-time after Wakefield scored two tries through Jamie Rooney and Damien Blanch in response to a try from Danny Houghton for Hull.
But the second-half was all about Hull as they ran in four tries through Kirk Yeaman, Tom Briscoe and two tries from Craig Hall.
In what was a dress-rehearsal of the Challenge Cup semi-final later this month, Hull took an early lead through Houghton, who grabbed his own grubber kick after it came of the goal-posts and raced through to score the opening try. Danny Tickle was successful with the conversion attempt.
The Wildcats came storming back and scored two tries in the space of four minutes. Brad Drew kicked through a clever grubber-kick which Rooney was the first to get to and he had an easy passage to the try-line.
Danny Brough then sent a high-kick which bounced kindly for Wakefield and Blanch grabbed hold of the ball to score the try. Brough added the extra two points and then kicked a penalty to give his side a six point lead.
But Hull came out all guns blazing in the second-half and the impressive Willie Manu created tries for Yeaman and Hall, which saw Hull get right back in the game with only nine minutes of the second-half gone.
Australian full-back Matt Sing and stand-off Danny Washbrook should have put Hull out of sight, but they dropped the ball with the try-line at their mercy.
Hull though kept pushing forward and deservedly won the game as Briscoe and Hall touched down. Drew scored a consolation try for the Wildcats, but it was Hull who took the spoils ahead of the Challenge Cup semi-final clash.
In the other game in Super League this evening, a late try from Clint Greenshields secured the Catalan Dragons a sensational 32-26 win over Harlequins.