Super League: Hull run in six tries to see off Wakefield
Hull FC ended the Easter period on a high with a welcome 34-22 victory over Wakefield Wildcats on Monday afternoon.
Last Updated: 01/04/13 5:50pm
Keen to bounce back after Good Friday's derby defeat to rivals Hull KR, the Black and Whites produced a second half blitz at the Rapid Solicitors Stadium to come away with just their third win of the season.
Wakefield and Hull were locked at 12-12 at the interval, however debutant Jamie Shaul and Ben Crooks collected their second tries of the afternoon after the break, with Aaron Heremaia crossing in between and Tom Briscoe adding a sixth.
It was a disappointing day for the Wildcats, who had earlier raced into a 10-lead inside 15 minutes.
Peter Fox scored in the corner on six minutes after Heremaia had dropped the ball deep in home territory and the home fans were celebrating again moments after the restart when Ben Cockayne fed second rower Kirmond, who burst clean through to touch down.
Hull started to settle after their poor start but it still took a moment of magic from Shaul to break through a packed midfield and sprint half the length of the field for a memorable first try of his career.
Needless
The visitors were then grateful for a dreadful mistake from Wakefield scrum-half Tim Smith, whose woeful loose pass deep inside his own half was pounced upon by Heremaia and he offloaded for Crooks to score his first of the afternoon.
Danny Tickle added the extras to both tries although the sides were level at the interval after Sykes kicked a simple penalty a minute before the hooter.
Shaul then edged Hull ahead again after the re-start, reacting well to a deflection to cross the whitewash, while Briscoe only just failed to latch on to Joe Westerman's ball over the top as the visitors grew in confidence.
Peter Gentle's side were not making life easy for themselves, though and Westerman needlessly held down stand-off Paul Aiton and Wakefield duly profited when Richard Mathers played in Lee Smith and the utility man bundled over.
The game was wide open approaching the final quarter with Hull only two points ahead although Heremaia increased their lead when he picked a gap in the Wakefield defence and Tickle maintained his 100 per cent conversion rate to give the visitors a 24-16 lead.
Lee Smith then ran out of the line to allow Heremaia to pass for Crooks to score in the left corner, while Briscoe added the gloss to Hull's victory, before a last-gasp Dean Collis consolation.