Ahead of this Sunday’s replay of the 2005 Challenge Cup Semi-Final clash against St Helens, we look back at five of our other most memorable performances against the reigning Super League champions.
2005: Hull FC 44-6 St Helens
Life without Ian Millward began as a disaster for St Helens as the Black & Whites subjected the team from Merseyside to a crushing defeat at the KCOM Stadium.
FC raced into a 22-0 lead and there was immediately no way back for the visitor – tries from Richard Whiting and a full-length effort from Nathan Blacklock got the ball rolling for FC.
Richard Horne was the star of the show, setting up a brace of tries for full-back Shaun Briscoe in the space of two minutes before the break.
And Hull were just as dominant after the break; Horne earned a try of his own while Whiting grabbed a second. Paul McNicholas and Shayne McMenermy also forced themselves over the try-line.
2006: St Helens 26-27 Hull FC
A late-drop goal from Challenge Cup winner Paul Cooke gave the Black & Whites their first Knowsley Road victory in 18 years back in 2006, and the two sides battled for top spot in Super League,
The victory saw Peter Sharp’s side continue their unbeaten run continue and Hull become real challengers for the Grand Final
Hull took the lead as Richard Swain caught Paul Sculthorpe napping to send in Kirk Yeaman. But score from Paul Wellens and Nick Fozzard gave the hosts the lead after 15 minutes. Sean Long extended the scores shortly after.
However, in an end to end game, scores from Gareth Raynor and Richard Horne with Cooke converting both and a penalty late in the half, meant Hull led at the break.
Cooke, the pivotal player that he was, gave FC a 10 point lead shortly after the restart, collecting a kick off a defender to touch down, and converted his own try from the touchline.At 26-16, Hull were in control, but the Saints weren’t dead yet.
A moment of brilliance from Jamie Lyon brought the home side within 6, and when Ade Gardner scored with less than 10 minutes left with Lyon kicking the goal, its looked as if the sides would head home with a point a piece. But a late drop-goal from Paul Cooke ensured Hull’s 8th consecutive win in Super League.
2010: St Helens 12-32 Hull FC
Black & White supporters traveled to Knowsley Road to witness Sean Long’s very first game for the club against his former employers. However, under a thick blanket of fog on Merseyside, much of the action was missed with fans unable to see from one side of the pitch to the other.
After a delayed kick-off, Willie Manu scored the first try bursting onto a Shaun Long pass to score. Epalahame Lauaki then held off Leon Pryce to give Hull a 12-0 half-time lead.
Long then went over himself before Tom Briscoe scored a breakaway fourth. Saints rallied with tries from Matt Gidley and Chris Flannery but Kirk Yeaman put the result beyond doubt for only Hull’s second Super League victory at Saints in 14 visits.
2010: Hull FC 27-26 St Helens
Four tries from Francis Meli wasn’t enough to prevent Hull staging one of their best comebacks of the Super League era; trailing 26-6, the home side fought back and a Danny Tickle drop-goal claimed a memorable 27-26 win at the KC Stadium.
Hull took an early lead; Willie Manu used his brilliant ability to break free from a tackle allowing Tom Briscoe to find space an touch down. But that’s as good as the first half got for FC. 3 almost identicle tries for Meli down the left flank gave him a first-half hat-trick with Kieron Cunningham getting the other score before the break.
Meli got his forth after the restart with a result now looking out of reach of the hosts. But quick tries from Jordan Turner and Danny Houghton saw Hull back into the game.
With Willie Manu crashing over and Danny Tickle making the most of Saints’ failure to deal with another Sean Long kick, FC were level.
And it would be the pivotal second-rower who provided the winning moment – with five minutes on the clock, the fans favourite landed a drop-goal attempt from 35 metres out, which sailed between the sticks.
2016: St Helens 18-47 Hull FC
Hull FC’s historic Challenge Cup journey of 2016 began with an emphatic victory over St Helens at Langtree Park. Over 3000 Black & Whites made the trip on a baking hot day on Merseyside, to see FC progress to the quarter-finals.
In arguably one of the club’s best performances of 2016, scores from Danny Houghton, Scott Taylor, Gareth Ellis and Jamie Shaul established a first half cushion with a 25-12 lead.
And Hull ran away with the scoreline after the break. A second for Taylor along with Yeaman, a score from Curtis Naughton on his favorite hunting ground, and a spectacular diving finish from Fetuli Talanoa, meant Hull were into the next round.
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