Heartbreak for Hull as Warriors march on into Grand Final
WIGAN TURN ON THE STYLE TO LEAVE FC SECOND-BEST
In play-off rugby victory and defeat can be decided on such fine margins. Joy and sorrow can be held in n the same hand, only for one to fall from your grasp in the most minor of incidents. Momentum is king and with one of those such moments Hull FC’S dream of upsetting the applecart and reaching a Grand Final at their home stadium slipped away.
FC may have deservingly finished on the wrong end of a convincing 29-2 scoreline against Wigan Warriors to bow out of a season of upheaval, but the Black and Whites will look back to a first-half moment which changed the direction of this knockout tie.
Deservingly ahead on the scoreboard through a Marc Sneyd penalty and with a try already chalked off, , the visitors were penalised when Josh Griffin patted Oliver Partington on the head after a thundering tackle had forced the home favourite to lose possesion.
At the time there was a sense of frustration for FC having won a chance to mount further pressure on the Wigan try line. By half-time the significance of the moment had increased as the hosts sparked into life from the ensuing scuffle and pulled away to an 11-point lead which would soon grow further in the second half.
Unable to make any sort of dent in Wigan’s defence after the opening 25 minutes, Hull failed to hit the heady heights they set a week previously at Warrington and know they weren’t good enough. Their hosts were machine like, efficient, ruthless and clinical - the Wigan way - as Hull found to their cost.
Metres up field became a p precious commodity and few would argue the fact the better side won, but that a all-important momentum which was won early and lost so easily may have just held the key to this tie.
There was no doubt about it, Hull FC fancied their chances travelling down the M62 to the DW Stadium.
They had stunned Warrington at the Halliwell Jones last week and they were red-hot as they prepared to face League Leaders’ Shield winners for a spot in the Grand Final.
Clearly switched on from the start, FC were forcing mistakes and they were dominating field position with the Warriors struggling to find answers against a resolute defensive line.
Sneyd gave Hull the lead after Andre Savelio won a penalty close to the posts and they came close to scoring their first try when Jake Connor kicked to the corner with a grubber, but there was too much on it for Bureta Faraimo.
The Black and Whites showed their grit and desire at the other end too, as Savelio and Ratu Naulago got back to deny Joe Burgess what looked a certain try, holding up the winger. Partington was held up moments later as Wigan pushed but Hull held firm.
Hull thought they had scored the opening try when Manu Ma’u capitalised on a dropped Sneyd kick and fed Faraimo, but after checking the replays it was chalked off as Sneyd was deemed to shove Zak Hardaker in the build-up.
Then came the moment that settled the first half and ultimately the game. A big hit from Scott Taylor forced a knock on from Wigan 30m
from their own line. A melee ensued and Griffin was spotted antagonising Partington with patronising pats on the head, something which has been outlawed. That sucked the life out of Hull and in 10 first-half minutes Wigan seized control. Burgess punished Hull first, exploiting an overlap down the right and sneaking over in the corner.
And, with the Black and Whites still reeling, they conceded again before the break. Harry Smith exploited Hull’s right side again by dashing down the blind side and touching down Burgess’ grubber.
Smith added an extra point just before the break.
Hull needed to regather their composure in the second half, but just five minutes into it they were grouped together under their own posts once more.
Bevan French combined with Hardaker and the centre powered dashed through a gap and home from 30 metres out, leaving FC with a mountain to climb.
FC held firm for most of the second half and got involved in the battle, but their body language told the story of a side resigned to their fate as they struggled to find joy against the Cherry and Whites with the ball in hand.
Sneyd thought he’d scored after following up a Griffin breakaway only to have the ball knocked out of his hands by hands by French, who was chasing back like a man possessed. Houghton thought he had gone over too, but the referee pulled play back for a forward pass.
If the game wasn’t already won, it was when Jake Bibby touched down with five minutes remaining and French got the try his display deserved late on.
Key moment: Hull had Wigan on the ropes, they were just waiting for their opening, but then Griffin made the decision to pat Partington on the head. The resulting penalty killed FC’S composure and the Warriors took advantage to kill the game off in the first half.
Good day for: Wigan Warriors. They were made to work for it, but they were clinical with the ball in hand and they y made Hull pay py for their errors. That’s why they finished top of the table and they progress to the Grand Final with confidence. Bad day for: Josh Griffin. It’s an 80-minute game, but the actions of Griffin swung the match in Wigan’s favour hugely. He actually played well, he ran hard and looked a real threat at times, but as a senior man in this side he can’t be making stupid errors like he did.
Bigger picture: The Black and Whites’ 2020 campaign comes to a disappointing end but they can be pleased with their efforts over the last six or seven weeks.
FC were written off and at times they looked dead and buried, but they rallied late in the season and they provided a real story in the play-offs. Ultimately, they came up short to a seasoned Wigan outfit, who progress to the Grand Final.
Now the talk turns to who will succeed Lee Radford and become the permanent head coach of Hull FC.