VAVE AVOOM
King Carlos buries Saints as Hull reclaim top spot
LEE RA RADFORD’S brave decisiond to select Carlos Tuimava Tuimavave paid off as the K Kiwi helped Hull FC survive a scare against St Helens Helens. The HullH FC coach dropped v veteran former Saints and GreatGre Britain star Leon Pryce withwi Tuimavave getting the nodno at stand-off having impre impressed off the bench in their d derby win over Hull KR. He duly cam came up with a couple of vital moments as Hull secured t their 11th win in 12 games a and reclaimed Super League League’s top spot. FC sped in into a 12-0 lead and, with Saints losing Australia Australian scrum- half Luke Wa Walsh to an ankle i njury i nside t wo minut minutes, l ooked comfo comfortable. But Keiron Cunningham’s side hit back to lead 18-14 at the break and it wasn’t until Tuimavave popped up for a try in the 56th minute that the hosts regained control.
He also kicked to provide in-form prop Scot Taylor with his fifth try in as many games.
Radford admitted: “I thought Carlos played very tidily. It was a big call and in an ideal scenario you’d like an extended bench.
“But that’s not the case. We were a bit light against Hull KR so I was always going to go with four forwards on the bench. Thankfully it paid off. With 20 minutes gone we had all the momentum and didn’t capitalise for the first time this season.
“We almost got punished – credit to Saints, they hung in there – so to see them come back and close the game out like that is pleasing.
“It gives us a bit of breathing space now in the top four.”
Hull ran riot in the opening quarter with Gareth Ellis easing over inside 10 minutes after Liam Watts’ midfield charge and soon after Mahe Fonua also crossed with Marc Sneyd improving both as he kicked six from six. Saints were a shambles – Jack Owens twice dropped the ball in his own half – and l ooked completely disorganised.
But they rallied as Jonny Lomax fired a pass for Adam Swift’s try and, in the next set, he dummied over himself for Owens to level at 12-12.
Atelea Vea added a controversial third to put them in front but Sneyd hit back with a penalty and then came Tuimavave’s impact.
Jack Ashworth responded f or Saints but Danny Washbrook’s 77th-minute try saw them home.
St Helens coach Cunningham said: “We were hard done by. We were on the back of a 13-2 penalty count.
“It was 10- 2 at half- time and if you can tell me Hull were eight penalties better then I’ll call anyone a liar.
“If one of my players wasn’t fit for purpose, they wouldn’t be playing that’s for sure.”