Last: In terms of character, desire and grit we were just sensational

ANDY Last has hailed the character his Hull FC side showed to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat against Castleford Tigers.

A Jake Connor try with just two minutes remaining sealed a 32-28 win for the Black and Whites at Wheldon Road and it came just moments after they had fallen behind.

Michael Shenton put the Tigers ahead late on, but Hull kept their composure, claimed the restart and Connor was there to touch down a deft chip from Marc Sneyd to send Hull above the Tigers in the table.

Last was understandably upset that his side squandered a 10-point lead in the second half, but he was delighted to see his key players come up with the match-winning play.

“As a team we’re frustrating to watch and we just don’t seem to be learning some valuable lessons that we need to, the errors out of yardage again, we looked panicked at times and we made hard work of it,” Last said.

“But in terms of character and desire and grit: sensational. I’m just pleased to be on the right side of the result. I thought we had some really big performances, we had to make late changes again on the morning of the match with Jamie Shaul not being able to play and having to move Kieran Buchanan to full-back.

“We brought on a debutant in Ben Mcnamara to play in a key position and Sneydy on that lefthand side showed bag loads of character, so there was some big performances from some of our bigger players and I’m pleased we got the result.”

Mcnamara will be the name on many fans’ lips as the youngster enjoyed a fine debut in West Yorkshire. He even found his way over the line in the second half and Last was proud of the 18-year-old’s performance.

“He did extremely well at short notice,” he added. “He got the call this morning and to be thrown on within 15 minutes and he’s up against Junior Moors. He held his own defensively and what he did do well was play it simple.

“From a half-back’s point of view sometimes they can chase a game and try and win it on their own but Ben understands the process of the game.”