The Hull FC Academy battled hard to defeat Bradford Bulls Under 19s 24-16 at the Horsfall Stadium this evening.
A sterling first half performance from Jacob Hookem, where the halfback scored a brace and set up another try, put the Black & Whites in a commanding position at the interval.
Lewis Martin’s sublime early second half try looked to have taken the game beyond Bradford – a score that proved to be key as the Bulls scored three tries in the last quarter of the match.
The Match
Nick Staveley scored his first try of the season when Hull’s youngsters met the Bradford Under 19s last month and it took just six minutes for the loose forward to score against the Bulls again.
Early pressure told as Hookem dabbed a teasing grubber kick into the in-goal area and Staveley pounced on the loose ball.
It looked as though Hull were about to double their lead when Martin dived in at the corner, but the referee penalised the visitors for a forward pass.
Further Hull pressure yielded a second try as Hookem scanned his way across the defensive line and sliced through after opening a gap with a dummy.
Hookem got his second with a similar move about five minutes from half time, breaking free of the first contact and planting the ball down to the left of the sticks.
HALF-TIME: Bulls 0-18 Hull
Whatever was said by the Bulls’ coaching staff at half-time perhaps went to waste four minutes into the second half when Martin made a mercurial break from 70 metres, but the best was yet to come. The winger, who joined the Academy on a Talent Transfer burned the Bradford fullback for pace to finish a sensational individual effort.
But to their credit, the Bulls knuckled down and wrestled their way back into the contest. After building some sustained pressure, Dylan Jackson pinched a try from dummy half.
Kieran Lupton’s converted try with 15 minutes to go looked to set up an entertaining end to what had already been a physical affair.
But the clock was against the West Yorkshire outfit, so Daniel McGrath’s try in the right corner four minutes from time proved too little, too late for the Bulls as the conversion was missed from the touchline.
FULL-TIME: Bulls 16-24 Hull
Squads & Scorers
Hull: Litten, Martin, Ferreira, Masike, Cohen, Walker, Hookem, Burrell, Rutland, Gibson, Waites, Stewart, Staveley
Hull Interchanges: Balogun, Jebson, Laidlaw, Mafi, Petrie, Severs, Yeaman
Hull Tries: Staveley, Hookem (2), Martin
Hull Goals: Hookem (4/4)
Bulls: Campbell, McGrath, Myers, Barton, Beety, Gray, Camden, Green, Orr, Rowley, Arundel, Coleman, Barraclough
Bulls Interchanges: Adams, Jackson, Kamano, Lawford, Lupton, Scott, Stevens
Bulls Tries: Jackson, Lupton, McGrath
Bulls Goals: Camden (2/3)
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