Hull FC fell to defeat in their final home game of the 2021 season to a determined Wigan Warriors side.
The Black & Whites, who were without eight senior players, battled hard to force a half-time stalemate.
But second half tries from Jake Bibby and Zak Hardaker spelled a third consecutive defeat for Hull.
Team News
FC Head Coach Brett Hodgson was without eight senior players for Saturday’s game against Wigan Warriors, as he was forced into two further changes to his 17-man squad from Saturday’s Dacia Magic Weekend fixture against Leeds Rhinos.
Danny Houghton (wrist) and Josh Bowden (illness) were the last players not available to Hodgson, adding to an already extensive injury list.
Their places in the match day squad were taken by Jordan Lane, who returned from his own knee issue, and Mitieli Vulikijapani, making his first appearance since July.
In a rearranged starting 13, Jordan Johnstone started hooker, Mahe Fonua returned to left centre and Cameron Scott to back row, with Manu Ma’u completing the line up at loose forward.
The Match
An even first unfolded, with few opportunities for either side.
Hull perhaps had the best chance of the half in the opening stages of the game, Mahe Fonua climbing highest to a Jake Connor cross-field kick, offloading to Manu Ma’u but the Tongan was held up in goal by the Wigan defence.
From there, both sides found opportunities hard to come by, with defences on top throughout the half.
Wigan’s best opportunity came after the half-time hooter when Liam Marshall chipped over the Hull defence with no full back at home, but Jamie Shaul was equal to the wing man in the foot race and gathered the ball.
HALF-TIME: Hull 0-0 Warriors
Again, Hull started the second half brightly, Jake Connor kicking a huge 40/20 that Zak Hardaker was unable to deal with. However, the Black & Whites weren’t able to capitalise on their field position, with an error bringing an premature end to the set.
From there, Wigan began to claim the ascendancy, first going close through John Bateman who was stopped from grounding the ball, before the deadlock was finally broken around the hour mark.
Jackson Hastings’ kick to the corner was claimed by Jake Bibby to score the opening points of the afternoon, though Hardaker was unable to convert.
Zak Hardaker completed the scoring shortly afterwards collecting his own grubber kick off the post on the last tackle, converting the try to round off the match.
FULL-TIME: Hull 0-10 Warriors
Squads & Scorers
Hull: Shaul, Faraimo, Tuimavave, Fonua, Vulikijapani, Connor, Sneyd, Satae, Johnstone, Sao, Savelio, Scott, Ma’u
Hull Interchanges: Fash, Lane McNamara, Wynne
Warriors: Hardaker, Halsall, Bibby, Gildart, Marshall, Smith, Hastings, Singleton, Powell, Partington, Farrell, Bateman, Smithies
Warriors Interchanges: Byrne, Havard, Pearce-Paul, Shorrocks
Warriors Tries: Bibby, Hardaker
Warriors Goals: Hardaker (1/2)
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