It was an afternoon to forget for the Black & Whites, who went down 62-16 to Leeds Rhinos at the MKM Stadium.
The Rhinos scored eleven tries as the Airlie Birds crumbled in the second-half after finding themselves just 12-10 down after the half-hour mark.
But the visitors ran riot in the closing stages, with Ash Handley scoring five tries.
Team News
Brett Hodgson has made four changes to the side that lined up against Warrington Wolves last weekend, with Mitieli Vulikijapani (suspension), Luke Gale (head), Adam Swift (leg), and Manu Ma’u (calf) all dropping out.
The quartet are replaced by Cameron Scott, Jordan Johnstone, and Josh Griffin, who start, as well as young hooker Denive Balmforth who comes onto the bench for only his second senior appearance.
Jacob Hookem makes his very first senior start, having featured off the bench twice previously, including in last week’s match; he partners Joe Lovodua in the halves.
The Match
After enjoying the majority of possession in the opening stages, it was Leeds who drew first blood after five minutes; powerful forward Mikolaj Oledzki crashed over under the sticks from a short ball, with Rhyse Martin making it six with the boot.
The visitors soon had a second on the ten minute mark when they sent the ball to the left edge, where Ash Handley had a walk-in. Martin added the goal from the sideline.
Hull were back in the game though just after the quarter of an hour mark; against the run of play, Darnell McIntosh intercepted a pass as Leeds attacked Hull’s right edge, and raced some 95 meters to touch down a classy try. He couldn’t convert.
And in a flash, Hull were back in the contest with a second try in as many minutes. As Connor Wynne raced away down the left side, his weighted chip inside had the perfect trajectory to allow Danny Houghton to chase and touch down under the posts. McIntosh was on target this time.
Leeds weathered the Hull storm though, and Handley had his second of the afternoon before the half-hour mark, finishing off a well worked move at pace down Leeds’ left flank.
A frantic first-half continued when Leeds quickly added their fourth try, with Richie Myler breaking down the middle of the field from half-way, and sending the ball to Kruise Leeming to finish off the move despite the best attempts of Jamie Shaul. Martin converted and the gap was twelve once more.
Hull were dealt a major blow before half-time when Cameron Scott was carried from the field with a serious looking lower leg injury.
Leeds almost had a fifth as Aidan Sezer broke from within his own half just before half-time, but some superb cover defence from Jamie Shaul saw the final pass of the move go astray and Hull survived.
Half-Time: Hull FC 10-22 Leeds Rhinos
Hull battled their way back into the contest once again to get themselves back within a converted try of the Rhinos, when Chris Satae powered over with unstoppable force ten minutes into the second-half. Griffin converted.
Leeds again hit back though when Leeming darted out of dummy-half just ten metres out from the Hull line and grabbed his second try under the sticks.
The visitors gained a strong foothold in the game and extended their advantage to eighteen points when Richie Myler darted over with just over a quarter of the game to play.
The gap was 24 points and the game was over when Liam Sutcliffe replicated Myler’s try on the hour mark.
On what was quickly becoming an afternoon to forget for the Black & Whites, Leeds made the gap 30 when David Fusitu’a leaped the highest to collect a bomb into the corner, and touch down with ease. Martin kept up with his impressive goal-kicking with his seventh of the afternoon.
Ash Handley completed his hat-trick with ten minutes to play as Leeds passed the half-century mark, and grabbed his fourth and fifth tries of the afternoon in the closing stages.
Full-Time: Hull FC 16-62 Leeds Rhinos
The Teams
Hull FC: Jamie Shaul, Darnell McIntosh, Josh Griffin, Cameron Scott, Connor Wynne, Jacob Hookem, Joe Lovodua, Kane Evans, Danny Houghton, Scott Taylor, Jordan Lane, Ligi Sao, Jordan Johnstone.
Interchange: Chris Satae, Brad Fash, Jack Brown, Denive Balmforth.
Leeds: Richie Myler, David Fusitu’a, Zak Hardaker, Liam Sutcliffe, Ahs Handley, Blake Austin, Aidan Sezer, Mikolaj Oledzki, Kruise Leeming, Matt Prior, James Bentley, Rhyse Martin, James Donaldson.
Interchange: Cameron Smith, Morgan Gannon, Sam Walters, Jarrod O’Connor.
Scorers:
Hull FC Tries: McIntosh (16), Houghton (19), Satae (49)
Hull FC Goals: McIntosh (1/2), Griffin (1/1)
Leeds Tries: Oledzki (5), Handley (10,27, 69, 74, 77), Leeming (31, 55), Myler (58), Sutcliffe (61), Fusitu’a (64)
Leeds Goals: Martin (9/11)
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