A sensational first-half performance helped Hull FC Academy on their way to a 40-22 victory over Huddersfield Giants Under 18s at Laund Hill.
Huddersfield, who had been granted special dispensation from the RFL to field four Under 19s players due to a lengthy injury list, were stunned by Hull’s blistering performance in the first 40 minutes, with seven different players scoring as FC raced into a 36-6 half-time lead.
The Giants were made of sterner stuff at the back in the second-half, scoring three tries of their own, but it still wasn’t enough to trouble the Black & Whites, whose eighth win of the season got them within touching distance of a place in the play-off semi-finals.
The Match
In the final round of fixtures played under the RFL’s trial tackle-height rules, it was Hull who applied themselves in the correct manner early on. Huddersfield’s lack of discipline came at a price when Sully Medforth’s late pass to Kye Armstrong allowed the loose forward to sidestep his way through the Giants’ defensive line on his way to scoring six minutes into the match.
Matthew Hanley’s kick-off restart sailed out on the full in blustery conditions and FC were clearly in no mood to show mercy. From the resulting set, Alfie Oldridge got on the end of Mackenzie Harman’s awkward grubber-kick, which Huddersfield failed to clear.
Armstrong, who was in fine form after his early try, was a key part of the spine in the opening quarter, mixing his game up with some nice ball movement and powerful carries. He provided a late pass at the line under the sticks and Cobie Wainhouse muscled his way over the whitewash to score his first try in Black & White colours.
Hull’s tails were up and that was proved when Jack Charles peeled out of the back, as all good fullbacks do, before finding Ben Johnson on a great line. The dynamic centre powered through the tackle and added another four points to the scoreboard with just 21 minutes played.
The visitors continued to probe and ask questions, but a move that was fractionally out-of-sync invited the Giants back into the tie. Ryan Westerman couldn’t take in a pass from Charles – Jayden Billy collected the ball and put his foot down to score from 90 metres out, despite Logan Moy’s best efforts to catch up with him from behind.
Charles’ short kick-off restart caught Huddersfield napping, and Hull once again had their foot on the throat of the Giants with possession inside their half. It wasn’t long before the referee was pointing to the spot as Logan Moy burrowed over the whitewash from dummy-half after a usefully quick play-the-ball from Roman Dawson.
As the half went on, Hull were simply getting better and better. The dangerous spine combined once again, this time with an ominous-looking sweeping move to the right edge, and Callum Shaw took in Harman’s looping pass to score in the corner.
Shaw’s try may have been easy on the eye, but Hull still had their best move of the afternoon in reserve. Medforth dropped Westerman off on a regulatory unders play, but the centre found Harman with a sensational bullet pass to dissect Huddersfield’s pack. The halfback broke through on halfway and found Will Kirby in support, as the back-rower rounded Ethane Wainwright in the fullback position and scored under the posts.
HALF-TIME: Giants Academy 36-6 Hull Academy
Huddersfield got the start to the second-half they required to stop the rot, helped by Jack Charles’ kick-off not travelling the required 10 metres and subsequently giving the Giants a penalty. Through the early second-half territory, Andrew Gill dummied his way over the try line from acting half, much to the frustration of Michael Shenton in the technical area.
After a 20-minute spell of set-for-set Rugby League, the Black & Whites were next to register points when a glorious catch-and-pass from Westerman saw Shaw take possession and dive in to score at the right corner.
Only five minutes later, Huddersfield scored their third try of the afternoon when Dawson was exposed for Hull. A cutout pass from Jack Ward allowed Darius Carter to burst through on Dawson’s outside shoulder, racing into the clear to score from 30 metres out.
The Giants finished with a flourish, as Hull found themselves doing more defending. That took its toll on the visitors as Jack Billington powered his way over the try line in the right corner.
But ultimately, Hull had the job done with a mercurial, sharp first-half performance, and they made it three consecutive wins in the Academy Championship.
FULL-TIME: Giants Academy 22-40 Hull Academy
Squads & Scorers
Hull: Charles, Shaw, Westerman, Johnson, Oldridge, Harman, Medforth, Wainhouse, Moy, Bursell, Clark, Dawson, Armstrong
Hull Interchanges: Haldenby, Hutchinson, Kirby, Thompson
Hull Tries: Armstrong, Oldridge, Wainhouse, Johnson, Moy, Shaw (2), Kirby
Hull Goals: Harman (4/9)
Giants: Wainwright, Robinson, Carter, Hanley, Billy, J Ward, L Ward, Land, Scott, Dayes, Ritho, Child, Billington
Giants Interchanges: Gill, Rhodes, Stead, Webb-Campbell
Giants Tries: Billy, Gill, Carter, Billington
Giants Goals: L Ward (3/4)
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