Hull FC Academy defeated reigning Academy Champions Leeds Rhinos Under 18s 34-22 in Stanningley tonight, scoring four second-half tries to come from behind and return to winning ways.
Despite leading early through tries from Logan Moy and Roman Dawson, it was Leeds who took a slender four-point advantage at half-time as Hull’s discipline faltered.
But a clinical second-half performance, matched with some defensive steel, saw Hull defeat the Rhinos on their own patch.
The Match
With a concentrated approach in the warm-up, Hull made the perfect start to the match and they opened the scoring inside four minutes as Moy deceived the Leeds defenders with a cheeky show-and-go from dummy half.
Hull’s failure to deal with the kick-off restart welcomed all kinds of unwanted pressure. Despite their best attempts to hold the fort in the early stages, Leeds broke through on eleven minutes as Fergus McCormack found Harry Taylor in the left corner.
The visitors did manage to get back on the front foot, and after a Leeds error in yardage, Dawson scored in the left corner thanks to a beautifully executed scrum play.
Tenaciously, the Rhinos got back to within two points of the Black & Whites just before the half-hour as Jack Johnson crashed over from close range, having timed his lead line to perfection.
All the momentum was with the Rhinos on the ascent to half-time and they took the lead for the first time in the match only a few minutes shy of the interval. McCormack, who had proved to be a key run threat in the first-half, slipped the clutches of three Hull defenders with some nimble footwork to score underneath the posts.
HALF-TIME: Rhinos Academy 16-12 Hull Academy
Just as they did in the first-half, there was pure concentration and determination in the Hull camp and it was a level ball game again just five minutes after the restart when soft hands from Sully Medforth allowed back-rower Lennon Clark to score to the left side of the sticks.
Some mature game management from the Black & Whites made life difficult for the Rhinos, who were forced to come out of their own end of the field on numerous occasions. The pressure told when FC pulled the trigger on the last play in a goodball set, running the ball as Medforth freed up fullback Jack Charles to score.
The Black & Whites made it a two-score lead with just over ten minutes on the clock. Neil Tchamambe and Jack Smith looked to have Dawson covered as he took in a pass out wide, but the winger broke through the tackle with ease and cantered over the whitewash from 20 metres out.
But Leeds were back to within six points when more inspired footwork from McCormack saw the young Rhinos half dance through a fatigued defensive line down the middle of the field.
Continuing to apply a huge amount of pressure, all of the odds of Leeds drawing level were well within the hosts’ favour. But resolute, determined defence kept the Champions at bay.
Hull secured their hard-fought victory with just over three minutes to go as Moy scanned across the defensive line from 15 metres out, spotting a narrow gap, darting through it and snaking out a right arm to plant the ball down on the white line.
FULL-TIME: Rhinos Academy 22-34 Hull Academy
Hull: Charles, Shaw, Westerman, Johnson, Dawson, Harman, Medforth, Thompson, Moy, Clark, Bursell, Kirby, Stipetic
Hull Interchanges: Dulson, Hutchinson, Wainhouse, Ward
Hull Tries: Moy (2), Dawson (2), Clark, Charles
Hull Goals: Harman (5/6)
Rhinos: Taylor-Smith, Tchamambe, Smith, Taylor, Proud, McCormack, Purtill, Brennan-Jones, Corbett, Gilmore, Johnson, Littlewood, Phillips
Rhinos Interchanges: Aliyu, Hartley, Peacock, Tuohey
Rhinos Tries: Taylor, Johnson, McCormack (2)
Rhinos Goals: Taylor (3/4)
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