Hull FC Under 18s scored six tries as they defeated Hull KR Under 18s 34-10 at Sewell Group Craven Park on Good Friday.
Despite falling behind to a Hull KR try early in the first half, the Black & Whites responded convincingly with three tries in ten minutes, scored by Keiran Masike, Manoa Wacokecoke and Finley Yeaman.
Two more tries from Denive Balmforth and Logan Moy early in the second half secured the victory, and despite a consolation try from the Robins, Lewis Martin’s try in the corner gave Hull FC’s youngsters the final say in the Academy Derby as they made it four wins from four at the start of the 2022 season.
The Match
After a nip and tuck start to the game, the first major opportunity presented itself to Hull FC after some smart play from Balmforth put Wacokecoke into some space down the left wing, but the Fijian’s final pass to Martin went to ground.
Hull KR punished FC at the other end just five minutes later when a floated pass from Jack Potter was taken in by Darnell Byas and scored in the left corner.
The Robins didn’t have the lead for long, though, and it was Masike who was on the receiving end of a looping pass to the right edge, dotting down to score FC’s points of the afternoon.
Buoyed by that score, the Black & Whites then scored again when Balmforth fired a lethal cutout ball along the defensive line, reaching Wacokecoke, who only had to fall over to score, ultimately.
Having built more pressure through a drop-out and earning a penalty, Yeaman took advantage of some tired Hull KR defence by scooting over from close range.
HALF-TIME: Robins 4-16 Hull FC
Balmforth had been at the centre of everything in the first half and he was in the mood for more at the start of the second half. The hooker, who was deputising in the halves today, stepped back in-field and got low to burrow over for FC’s fourth try of the game.
Hull KR found themselves on the back foot again and FC were in no mood to let them off the hook for their ill-discipline. This time, Sully Medforth made a quicksilver break thanks to a burst of pace. The halfback drew in the fullback and gave the ball to the supporting Moy on the inside.
With the Black & Whites accumulating a 24-point lead, they began to see out the victory. But their dip in intensity cost them another try, when Harvey Moore got over the whitewash thanks to some tidy footwork. That was after Byas had a try chalked off for a forward pass in the build up after he thought he had dived over for his second of the day.
But Hull were determined to have the final say in this Academy Derby and they got it thanks to some inventive skill from Balmforth out of dummy half, passing the ball behind him, NFL-style, to Martin, who dived in at the corner.
Squads & Scorers
Hull: Opie-Palmer, Wainwright-Matson, Masike, Wacokecoke, Martin, Medforth, Balmforth, Laidlaw, Richards, Mafi, Jebson, Wright, Armstrong
Hull Interchanges: Bursell, Moy, Stipetic, Yeaman
Hull Tries: Masike, Wacokecoke, Yeaman, Balmforth, Moy, Martin
Hull Goals: Medforth (5/6)
Robins: Moore, Horne, Gorman, Barley, Tyas, Ellis, Potter, Fishwick, Cooper, Handley, Pratt, Reynolds, Maull
Robins Interchanges: Beet, Chambers, Parkinson, Tennison
Robins Tries: Byas, Moore
Robins Goals: Potter (1/2)
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