Academy fight back to beat Hull FC
- Match Report as Wigan Warriors Academy win on the road against Hull FC Academy.
- Wigan scored eight tries to return to the summit of the Academy league table.
- FT | Hull FC Academy 22-42 Wigan Warriors Academy.
Match Report as Wigan Warriors Academy scored eight tries to beat Hull FC Academy 42-22 on the road.
An end-to-end first half saw the Warriors take in a six-point lead at the turnaround before a determined fight back in the second half saw Wigan cross for a further five tries to take home the two points on Friday night, returning to the top of the Academy league.
Report
After a great opening 10 minutes from the Warriors, persistence paid off when Austin Daniel sent Josh Cartwright through to score in the right corner after 12 minutes. Nathan Lowe’s conversion from out wide came back off the uprights as Wigan had the 4-0 lead.
The hosts responded 10 minutes later when a kick through found Callum Barfield on the edge who collected and evaded the defence to get a ball back inside to Thompson who finished off the move. A conversion from Westerman put Hull FC 6-4 ahead.
Wigan hit back shortly afterwards with two tries in five minutes to get back in front. The first saw Lukas Mason break the line to send Finlay Yeomans away before Dylan Kelly-Duffy got on the end of another break from Mason to cross. Nathan Lowe slotted both conversions to make it 16-6.
Shortly before the break Hull responded. Good attacking play from the hosts saw them go through hands to eventually find Middlemas on the left edge to dive in at the corner. Westerman couldn’t convert this time and the Warriors went in at the break with the 16-10 lead.
From the restart, Wigan were looking keen once more. Five minutes into the second half Noah Hodkinson turned on the pace to beat Westerman in a one-on-one to get over the line. Nathan Lowe was on target from the tee to make it 22-10.
Five minutes later the Black & Whites hit back to move within six. A quick thinking pass from Johnson gave Barfield the space to squeeze over at the right corner. A good touchline conversion from Westerman made it 22-16 with less than half an hour to play.
The scores were levelled almost immediately as a testing grubber kick from Joe Thompson caught Wigan out as Callum Kemp was quickest to collect and get over for a try. A third conversion from Westerman put the scores at 22-22.
The final 20 minutes was one way traffic for the Warriors, however, as Jack Purtill hit back on the hour from dummy half. Finlay Yeomans took over kicking duties and converted for 28-22.
An error from Hull allowed Wigan to pounce again as F.Yeomans collected a loose ball to race 70 meters to extend Wigan’s lead, although the scrum half couldn’t convert his own effort.
George O’Loughlin then got in on the action on 70 minutes when he outmuscled the defence to carve his way over as the Cherry & Whites made it 36-22.
The final act of the game saw the Warriors steal a final try, with Dylan Kelly-Duffy getting his second of the game from close range. F.Yeomans added the extras to confirm the 42-22 victory in a great response from Wigan.
Gallery:
Hull FC: Lloyd Kemp, Callum Barfield, Ben Johnson, Ryan Westerman, Elliot Middlemas, Joe Thompson, Callum Kemp, Owen Haldenby, William Hutchinson, Jordon Baker, Kieran Calvert, Lennon Clark, Will Kirby.
Interchange: Alistair Swyer, Jonathan Turner, Callum Smith, Will Wilson.
18th Player: Matt Shepherdson.
Tries: Thompson (22′), Middlemas (34′), Barfield (51′), C.Kemp (55′)
Goals: Westerman 3/4
Wigan Warriors: Noah Hodkinson, Josh Cartwright, Austin Daniel, Nathan Lowe, Jaiden Drachenberg, Finlay Yeomans, Charlie Yeomans, Trent Kelly-Duffy, Jack Purtill, Kian McDermott, George O’Loughlin, Lukas Mason, Taylor Kerr.
Interchange: Harlen Smith, Leo Wadsworth, Michael Porter, Dylan Kelly-Duffy.
18th Player: Jack Bibey.
Tries: Cartwright (12′), F.Yeomans (26′, 64′), D.Kelly-Duffy (28′, 78′), Hodkinson (45′), Purtill (59′), O’Loughlin (72′)
Goals: Lowe 3/4, F.Yeomans 2/4
