Hull FC suffered heartbreak last time out when they lost in
the dying seconds to a Ryan Hall try an Leeds snatched the win after trailing
for seventy-eight minutes, while Leigh Leopards ended up losing by just eight
points against Wigan Warriors after spending a large part of the game trailing
heavily.
A win for Leigh would lift them back within a point of the
Warriors while keeping them clear of the Rhinos in fourth, Hull FC would be up
to fifth grom seventh if they could claim the points.
The Leopards were the favourites with the bookies but not by
much, handicapped by six points on the coupon.
A great kicking game from Hull FC saw them in good field
position and working the ball down the right-side Cade Cust took a pass, threw
the dummy, and went in for the opener on eleven minutes. Aidan Sezer added the conversion
for a 6-0 lead to the visitors.
A Sezer 40-20 put Leigh on their back foot again. On the
fourth tackle Herman Ese’ese crashed the line and forced the ball onto the
ground for the second try in five minutes. Sezer was again on target, the
perfect start for the Airlie Birds.
On twenty-one Sezer added a penalty goal from thirty-five
metres to increase the hurt on Leigh.
Lachlan Lam joined the 40-20 party on twenty-five but Leigh
couldn’t capitalise and within three minutes Hull moved the ball up field at
pace with Lewis Martin taking a will Pryce pass to score in the left corner.
Sezer was just wide with the conversion.
A controversial high tackle gifted Hull another penalty from
fifteen metres out and Sezer again found the target to stretch the lead to four
converted tries.
Right on the half time interval Ese’ese went in for his
second of the match, taking the Sezer pass and charging in under the sticks.
Sezer was again on target with the conversion for a stunning 26-0 half time
lead.
Just after the hour mark it was Leigh who broke the second
half deadlock when Edwin Ipape darted through the broken Hull defence to score
under the sticks. Ben McNamara added the conversion, the gap down to twenty points
with twenty minutes remaining.
On sixty-six a delightful Lam 40-20 pushed Leigh deep into
FC territory and on the first play a Lam pass went to the hands of Owen Trout
to cross. McNamara was on target again to reduce the arrears still further.
But it was too little too late, the fightback stopping at
twelve points.
Hull FC were nothing short of sensational in the first half
and didn’t allow Leigh to get into their usually stride. They were worth their
bug interval lead but noticeably eased off the gas in the second half and
allowed a small Leigh resurgence which allowed them to gain some respectability
on the scoreline. Hull jump back into the top five, Leigh slip away from the
leaders.
Leigh Leopards: Hodgson, McIntosh, Niu, Hanley, Brand,
McNamara (G 2/2), Lam, Ofahengaue, Ipape (T), Mulhern. Trout (T), O’Neill, Liu.
Subs: Hughes, Tuitavake, Davis, Charnley. 18th Man: Dwyer.
Hull FC: Pryce, Martin (T), Briscoe, Litten. Barron, Cust
(T), Sezer (G 5/6), Ese’ese (2T), Bourouh, Knight, Hardaker, Chamberlain,
Asiata. Subs: Ashworth, Balmforth, Laidlaw, Eseh. 18th Man: Balmforth.
Half-Time: 0-26.
Full-Time: 12-26.
Score Progression: 0-4, 0-6, 0-10, 0-12, 0-14, 0-18, 0-20,
0-24, 0-26 : HT: 4-26, 6-26, 10-26, 12-26 :FT.
Lead Exchanges: FC.
Referee: Tom Grant.
