Super League: Hull FC 24-22 Wigan – The Warriors’ winning run has ended

Updated 1 hour ago

Try: Walker, Sutcliffe, Litten, Balmforth Objectives: Charles 4

Try: Marshall 2, O’Neill, Eckersley Objectives: Keighran 3

Hull FC ended Wigan Warriors’ eight-match winning run as they held on for a thrilling 24-22 victory over the Super League leaders at the MKM Stadium.

Jack Walker’s try after Abbas Miski failed to collect a high shot gave them an early boost and although Liam Marshall responded, further scores from Liam Sutcliffe and Davy Litten put the home side 18-4 up at pause.

With Wigan’s Tyler Dupree in the sin bin, Denive Balmforth added a fourth try after the break as the visitors continued to be guilty of uncharacteristic handling errors.

Trailing by 20, the Warriors suddenly found another gear against tiring opponents as Brad O’Neill, Marshall and Zach Eckersley all came on, but Lewis Martin latched onto a cross just in front of the line with seconds remaining to secure the points for Hull. .

Interim head coach Simon Grix named loanees King Vuniyayawa and Ed Chamberlain in Hull’s 17 and right from the start they looked a transformed side from one that had won just two of their previous 17 games.

Miski’s error gave Walker the opener and the Airlie Birds approach was marked by a huge strike from Ligi Sao that left Kaide Ellis on his back.

Liam Farrell slipped with the line at his mercy as Wigan looked to hit back, but after Hull’s Jake Trueman cut a shot straight into touch to cost him field position, Zach Eckersley sent Marshall over in the corner from the left.

But he didn’t check Hull’s drive and Trueman’s quick hands allowed Sutcliffe to slip through a tackle for his second try and Vuniyayawa and Martin brought down Wigan’s Junior Nsemba just inches wide.

Litten pounced after collecting Trueman’s angled shot before Dupree was awarded 10 minutes in the sin-bin for a dangerous tackle on Chamberlain.

A dismal half for Wigan ended with Farrell denied four points as Walker’s saving tackle on Jake Wardle was ruled full before collecting the loose ball.

Dupree’s absence cost the Warriors shortly after the interval as Balmforth charged to extend the lead to 10 points and another great tackle from Walker kept Miski in the corner with his knee touching the ground beyond the line of the edge.

With more than an hour to go when O’Neill’s try was upheld by the video referee, but a brilliant run from 18-year-old Jack Charles, who contributed eight points with the boot, almost led to a fifth for the home team.

Litten was sent to the sin-bin for a high tackle with eight minutes remaining and Wigan immediately made the extra man count as a cut ball sent Marshall through for his 25th try of the season.

Moments later, a smart move from Wardle created the opening for Eckersley to score and Adam Keighran cut the lead to two points with the kick, but desperate defending from Hull meant the Warriors suffered just their third defeat of the campaign .

Hull FC interim head coach Simon Grix told BBC Humberside:

“After training with a purpose I expected us to do well this week and for a lot of the game they played how we’ve been practicing which was really nice.

“Luckily, we held on – we did some stupid things in between (that), but we are. It wasn’t pretty at times, but winning is everything.

“(In the last 10 minutes) we still showed the will to play, which was great to see, but there were a few things where you think, ‘Why did I do that?’

“Against the best pack in the league, it’s going to be tough when you get to the back end of the game because physically they’re very impressive, which they’re capable of doing.”

Wigan head coach Matt Peet told BBC Radio Manchester:

“We were under the best, but that was partly because Hull FC played tremendously well. They finished their sets very well and defended with energy.

“They played with desperation, a desperation that we lacked, disappointingly.

“There’s some valuable lessons there for guys like Junior (Nsemba), Jack (Farrimond) and Zach (Eckersley), all our players really, they’re not pretty when they come, those lessons.

“When we look back on it, to lose a game by two points, we’re going to see a lot of areas where those two points could be recovered.”

Hull FC: Walker, Briscoe, Litten, Sutcliffe, Martin, Trueman, Charles, Ese’ese, Smith, Sao, Lane, Chamberlain, Aydin.

Exchanges: Balmforth, Gardiner, Laidlaw, Vuniyayawa.

Wigan: Eckersley, Miski, Keighran, Wardle, Marshall, Farrimond, Smith, Havard, O’Neill, Thompson, Nsemba, Farrell, Ellis.

Exchanges: Byrne, Mago, Dupree, Walters.