Hull salvage late point

Gareth Raynor salvaged a point for Hull FC with a late try as they drew 28-28 with Catalans Dragons in France.

Raynor touched down two minutes from time to reduce the deficit to two points and enable Danny Tickle to level the scores with his sixth successful kick of the night.

Thomas Bosc was among four try-scorers for the Dragons and also kicked six goals, but the hosts were unable to extend their winning run to four matches.

Vincent Duport, Gregory Mounis and Dimitri Pelo also touched down for Les Catalans, while Tickle, Scott Wheeldon and Danny Washbrook were Hull's other scorers as they ended their four-match losing sequence.

The game looked to have been lost for Peter Sharp's side until a moment of magic from Tommy Lee opened the door for Raynor to score what proved to be the decisive try in a totally enthralling encounter at the Stade Gilbert Brutus.

Early dominance

With Jerome Guisett and Jason Croker leading the charge the Dragons dominated the early stages but it was Hull, enjoying a rare moment of possession, who took the lead.

Richard Horne, starting his first game of the season, put in a high kick which Raynor patted down into the hands of Tickle who scored.

Both sides then proceeded to exchange scores with Bosc, Wheeldon and then Duport getting in on the act as neither team showed the conviction to pull away from the other.

But a comedy of errors from a Hull defence that was struggling under the weight of a relentless French attack threatened to change the game.

A mix-up on their own goal line let in Mounis with half-time approaching and not content with taking a two-point lead into the break, Pelo went over just three minutes later to give the Dragons a comfortable lead their dominance had deserved.

Sharp must have had stern words with his side because they came out a different team in the second period with Washbrook's try getting them back in the match.

But two needless penalties in front of the posts allowed Catalans to stretch their lead and seemingly win the match.

However, high drama was to follow and with just three minutes left on the clock a great pass out wide from scrum-half Lee found Great Britain winger Raynor who touched down.

Then with the hooter blown and the scores level Todd Byrne's kick was pounced on by Craig Hall who thought he had scored a match-winning try only for referee Steve Ganson to rule it out.