Hull keep treble hopes alive with Challenge Cup win over Catalans
By PA Sport
Last Updated: 25/06/16 5:02pm
Hull's hopes of doing the treble remain alive after they secured their place in the semi-finals of the Ladbrokes Challenge Cup with a 22-8 win over Catalans Dragons.
The Black and Whites have been the stand-out side of 2016 and sit atop the Super League, while this was their 10th win in a row and 15th out of 16 in all competitions.
Their streak is reminiscent of the Hull side of 2006 which won 13 in a row and 17 out of 18 en route to a Grand Final.
Coach Lee Radford - who played in that team - will hope for a better outcome than Old Trafford defeat to St Helens this time around, and his charges certainly seem capable of delivering.
After a shaky opening they got on top of Catalans - the brute force of their impressive pack giving them a platform they made the best of.
Catalans were unlucky to lose a two-point clash here in April and as such a close contest was expected in spite of Hull's form.
The visitors started in that spirit with Benjamin Garcia going close on his second debut for the club and, as the pressure built, Catalans opened the scoring through the returning centre.
Back at the club from Penrith, he was on the spot for a Glenn Stewart kick to bounce up perfectly into his hands over the line.
Hull had been poor up until that point but responded almost immediately, Carlos Tuimavave's kick presenting itself to Steve Michaels ahead of full-back Morgan Escare and the centre did the rest.
Having got themselves a foothold, Hull then snaffled a second try - replacement forward Frank Pritchard lived up to his nickname of 'The Tank' as he took in a dummy-half ball from Danny Washbrook and barged his way over from five yards out.
Hull took a 12-4 lead into the dressing rooms - Pritchard's try and two Marc Sneyd goals the difference - and then muscled up in defence after the restart to resist some early pressure.
Their efforts were rewarded with a third try which owed everything to in-form prop Scott Taylor as, back from a spell on the bench, he bust through the line and then put up a pass to supporting hooker Danny Houghton who did the rest.
Catalans responded on the back of a 40-20 from Thomas Bosc, Pat Richards supplying the final ball to Fouad Yaha in the corner, although the try went unconverted.
A Sneyd penalty edged Hull back out to two clear scores ahead and then gave them a 14-point lead with another penalty with 15 minutes remaining and that was enough to get the job done.
