In the final game of round four of Super League XXIX the Catalans Dragons needed the win to go level on points with the five clubs above them with a share of the top slot in the division while a win of forty-nine points or more would see them above Wigan into top spot, on points difference.
A win for Hull FC was unlikely to change their league position but it would open some breathing space between themselves and the three sides below them who are currently all looking for their first league points of the season.
The home side were string favourites with the bookies, few considered that the Black and Whites had any chance of securing their second win of the season.
The sides took to the field in torrential rain but it was of no concern to the Dragons who opened the scoring after just forty seconds with Jayden Nikorima taking a Mike McMeeken pass, twenty-five metres from the line, and motoring over to score by the uprights. Jordan Abdull added the conversion for the best possible start for the home side.
The Dragons second try cameo on eleven minutes with Matthiou Laguerre taking a delightful Nikorima pass to slide over the line in the left-hand corner. Abdull hit the mark from wide to put his side into a 12-0 lead.
Hull FC grabbed themselves a lifeline on seventeen as Nu Brown never gave up on a Jordan Lane kick through to goal and pounced on the ball to ground at full stretch. Darnell McIntosh added the conversion for 12-6.
Abdull missed a penalty goal from thirty-five metres out in front of the sticks on thirty-one as FC missed the opportunity to further reduce the arrears. But three minutes later a head-on-head contact between Chris Satae and Jack Ashworth saw the Hull man sin-binned as the Dragons player went for a head impact assessment.
Arthur Mourge kicked the resulting penalty to extend the Dragons lead to eight points at the interval.
Seven minutes into the second half Hull scored a freak try as Carlos Tuimavave headed the ball into the hands of Jack Walker who pulled up with a strain as he dropped over the line to score. McIntosh added the conversion, and the Dragons lead was down to a slender two points. Hull were right back in the game.
On fifty-seven Mourgue evaded four tackles as he muscled his way to the line from ten merges out. The decision was sent to the video official who couldn’t overrule the referees on-field decision. The Dragons full-back added the conversion to his own try for a 20-12 lead.
The outcome was put beyond doubt on sixty-nine as Tom Davies took a looping pass from Theo Fages to go over on a massive overlap to slide in at the corner. Mourge added the touchline conversion for a fourteen-point lead.
There will have been some nervousness in the Catalans camp when Hill fought back to within two points but they kept their heads and scored two more unanswered tries to take the victory which lifts them to third place in the fledgling Super League table, one of six clubs on six league points. Hull will take some confidence from a game which looked early as though it might be a whitewash but they are firmly anchored in ninth place in the table.
Catalans Dragons: Nikorima (T), Davies (T), Ikuvalu, Laguerre (T), Johnstone, Abdull (2G), Fages, Navarrete, Da Costa, Bousquet, Sims, McMeeken, Garcia. Subs: Mourgue (T, 3G), Sequier, Satae, Dezaria. 18th Man: Maria.
Hull FC: Walker (T), Russell, McIntosh (2G), Tuimavave, Martin, Smith, Brown F (T), Ese’ese, Houghton, Sao, Okunbor, Staveley, Lane. Subs: Ashworth (SB on 34), Bullock, Gardiner, Hoy. 18th Man:.
Half-Time: 14-6.
Full-Time: 26-12.
Score Progression: 4-0, 6-0, 10-0, 12-0, 12-4, 12-6, (SB), 14-6 : HT: 14-10, 14-12, 18-12, 20-12, 24-12, 26-12 :FT.
Lead Exchanges: Catalans.
Referee: Jack Smith.
