Super League: Daniel Holdsworth seals last-gasp win for Hull FC against Wigan Warriors
Daniel Holdsworth kicked two late drop goals as Hull FC beat Wigan Warriors 34-33 at the DW Stadium.
Last Updated: 30/08/13 11:03pm
The visitors led 12-6 thanks to tries from Jason Crookes and Tom Briscoe, with Andy Powell's first try in rugby league sandwiched in the middle, but Ben Flower and Ryan Hampshire crossed in the closing stages of the first half to give the Warriors a 16-12 interval lead.
The second half was end to end with Wigan leading 26-12 at one stage with tries for Joe Burgess and Iain Thornley but Hull refused to lie down and hit back with three scores to level it up at 26-26.
Gelling and Briscoe then traded scores and although Sam Powell dropped a goal, two from Holdsworth in the dying minutes sealed it for Hull.
Changes
The Warriors were missing a number of key personnel with coach Shaun Wane resting no fewer than 11 of his Wembley heroes, meaning youngsters like Hampshire, Powell, Burgess, Lewis Tierney and Dominic Manfredi got the chance to impress ahead of the play-offs.
Hull also made a number of changes from the Challenge Cup defeat with Andy Lynch, Gareth Ellis and Mark O'Meley absent, while hooker Aaron Heremaia was suspended.
It was Hull who struck first when winger Crookes used his strength to beat Burgess in the corner to put the visitors in front.
However, the roof almost came off the place in the 22nd minute when rugby union convert Powell crossed for his first try in league to make it 6-6.
It did not take long for Hull to recapture the lead when Jacob Miller and Holdsworth combined to send England international Briscoe in at the corner, Danny Tickle again converting to put the visitors 12-6 ahead.
Two tries in two scintillating minutes saw Wigan go from 12-6 down to 16-12 up. First, Flower crashed over from close range seconds after being held up over the line and straight from the kick-off, Gelling broke down the right and sent Hampshire racing away.
Wigan looked unstoppable and crossed for their fourth try of the game when Thornley finally offloaded to his winger and Burgess was on hand to score his first try for the Warriors.
Quick scores
Thornley himself touched down to put Wigan 26-12 ahead before Hull then did to Wigan what the Warriros had done in the first half by crossing for two quick scores.
After Jamie Shaul had won a penalty, the ball was spread wide and Crookes touched down for his second try.
Two minutes later Tierney spilled a high ball and again the ball went wide for Crookes to grab his hat-trick. Tickle converted to close the gap to four points.
Hull thought they had completed the comeback when Joe Westerman got the ball down with a close-range drive to level the game at 26-26.
In a topsy-turvy encounter, Wigan regained the lead as Hull full-back Shaul made a mess of Powell's towering bomb and Gelling was on hand to touch down. Hampshire converted to put the Warriors 32-26 ahead.
With the clock ticking down, Powell showed plenty of composure to slot over a drop goal and put the Warriors seven points clear, but it was not enough as Briscoe grabbed his second try of the night and Holdsworth then dropped a goal to level it up at 33-33.
Wigan blew the chance to win it as Powell's drop goal attempt went wide and Hull went right up the other end and won it with their own as Holdsworth saw his kick sail through the posts.