The Hull FC Academy performed gallantly, but lost out 34-16 to a clinical St Helens Under 18s outfit at Blackbrook ARLFC yesterday evening.
Michael Shenton’s side have now suffered back-to-back defeats and have dropped to 3rd in the Academy Championship table.
A Zach Jebson brace and a Lewis Martin finish in the corner saw Hull 16-12 in front after 50 minutes, but Saints rallied late on to score four second-half tries to move above the Black & Whites in the table.
The Match
It was Hull that struck the first blow to the hosts – Mackenzie Harman and Sully Medforth combined early on with the latter finding the lead runner Jebson for the back-rower to pierce through the line and breeze past the fullback.
Saints gave Hull a taste of their own medicine about ten minutes later, though. After establishing some good field position, Will Roberts sent McKenzie Buckley over the whitewash with a similar flat pass to the lead runner from close range.
The visitors were made to pay for their ill-discipline whilst defending on the front foot when St Helens marched down to the other end of the field and crossed in the corner through Keane Gilford thanks to quick hands from Benjamin Lane and Dayon Sambou.
Hull grew back into the game and forced an ominous-looking 40/20 not long before the interval. After a couple of settling drives towards the posts, Medforth floated a delightful pass out wide for Martin to dive in at the corner.
HALF-TIME: Saints 12-12 Hull
Hull emerged from the changing rooms the better of the two sides at the start of the second half, looking most likely to score. And they did less than five minutes after the restart when Medforth claimed his third assist of the evening with a short tip-on pass to Jebson to power over from close range for his brace.
The Black & Whites thought they had extended their lead to 20-12 when Keiran Masike drew in Gilford and tipped the ball on to Jensen Wainwright-Matson, but great scramble defence forced the Hull winger just into touch as he simultaneously grounded the ball in the right corner.
The visitors didn’t seem to have much luck with the 50/50 calls when the referee penalised Harman for a ruck infringement on his own try line. Saints capitalised on the call and scored in the resulting set with Samuel Haynes diving in at the right corner, pulling the hosts level.
Saints regained the lead with 20 minutes remaining when George Delaney broke through a tired defensive line and fed the supporting Roberts to scorch away from the retreating Medforth.
Roberts looked to have sealed the win with 13 minutes on the clock when he scored under the sticks thanks to smart play from Jonathon Vaughan, drawing in a number of defenders.
Hull’s best efforts to claw their way back into the game were ultimately in vain as Medforth’s pass to Martin drifted into touch. With possession back, Roberts claimed his hat-trick for Saints, diving over from dummy half from close range.
FULL-TIME: Saints 34-16 Hull
Squads & Scorers
Hull: Moy, Wainwright-Matson, Masike, Wacokecoke, Martin, Harman, Medforth, Thompson, Chapman-Peterson, Staveley, Severs, Jebson, Bursell
Hull Interchanges: Armstrong, Mafi, Stipetic, Wright
Hull Tries: Jebson (2), Martin
Hull Goals: Medforth (2/3)
Saints: Lane, Haynes, Vaughan, Sambou, Gilford, Archer, Roberts, Delaney, Nolan, Devine, Buckley, Pyke, Peposhi
Saints Interchanges: Bannerman, Braddish, Pemberton, Stephens
Saints Tries: Buckley, Gilford, Haynes, Roberts (3)
Saints Goals: Roberts (5/6)
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