Skip to content

Super League: Hull FC grab dramatic draw at Wakefield

A touchline conversion from Joe Westerman denied Wakefield at the death as Hull FC escaped from the Rapid Solicitors Stadium with a 20-20 draw on Sunday.

With his side trailing by two points after Kirk Yeaman crossed out wide, Westerman held his nerve with the pressure on to land the extras and secure the Black and Whites a point for their efforts.

The in-form Wildcats had looked set to record a third straight Super League win since the appointment of hew coach James Webster, Nick Scruton's late try adding to earlier efforts from Richard Mathers, Chris Riley and Reece Lyne.

However they were unable to cling on to their lead in the closing stages, with Westerman's kick from a tight angle made even more impressive by the fact it was his first effort at goal during the afternoon.

Perhaps a draw wasn't a surprising result considering there had been nothing to split the teams at the end of the first 40 minutes - they both recorded late tries that were also converted to leave the score locked at 6-6.

Good strength

Hull had laid seige to the Wakefield line in the opening quarter-of-an-hour but had to wait until shortly before half time to break the deadlock, Setaimata Sa showing good strength to cross in the corner from Jamie Shaul's pass.

Debutant Jordan Abdull added the extras, though Paul Sykes also did the same shortly after when Mathers went through a gap in Hull's defence at the other end of the field.

More from Super League 2014, Round 18

Wakefield quickly found themselves behind again in the early stages of the second half and centre Sa was heavily involved once more, this time getting his hands free in the tackle and sending Richard Horne over with a brilliant offload.

Yet once again the hosts responded impressively to conceding, albeit with the benefit of a wicked bounce of the ball that paved the way for Riley to get on the end of Tim Smith's kick.

Shaul had been the man undone in defence but he made amends in attack after Scott Anderson had dropped the ball from the restart, his pass putting Yeaman in for the first of his two tries.

The Wildcats drew level again courtesy of a superb solo effort by Lyne, who combined speed and strength to score in the corner, and then appeared to have stretched their winning streak when Paul McShane set up Scruton.

There was still time for one more twist in the tale, though, as Yeaman completed his brace and Westerman slotted over the conversion right before the final hooter sounded to end a see-saw match.

Around Sky