Kitching dives in as Hull accelerate to victory – Harrogate test the students

Hull moved up to seventh after a hard-working performance at the Ferens Ground.

An early penalty from James Cameron was overhauled by a try after 10 minutes when Rugby's Joss Andrews capitalised on a high ball to the corner which Guy Martinson could only parry to him to run in.

It took Hull five minutes to retake the lead following Lloyd Warner's missed conversion and it was the pack who forced the ball over from a close-range lineout, Scott Plevey finishing.

Another missed conversion and a missed penalty from Rugby meant that the scores were close going into the break.

The second half saw Hull speed up their play and another short-range lineout was awarded for a foul on Cameron and this enabled Kris Fullman to score after more impressive work from Hull's front five.

Hull scored the try of the match when a fluid passing movement ended in captain Chris Murphy collecting the ball on the left wing 20 metres out and, after beating the first man, he handed the ball to Robin Kitching to dive past the last man from five metres to wrap up the game.

Hull kicker Cameron said: "Considering the disruption from the weather, I think we played well. When we went behind early on our heads didn't go down. I think earlier in the season our heads would have dropped but we kept going."

Broadstreet 12

Hull Ionians 16

Hull Ionians scored two tries to nil at Broadstreet through playing the much better rugby, the hosts rarely getting into the attacking 22 and relying on their kicking strategy to gain ground.

After just 12 minutes, Steve Slingsby broke through the middle with good support setting up an overlap for Oli Marns to score in the corner. Joe Wright added a penalty four minutes later from his third kick at goal.

The game continued with too many errors by both teams, Street's kicking game earning penalties by Dan Richards either side of the break with one in reply by Wright.

On 60 minutes, Ionians's pressure earned a free-kick five metres out and Tom Rice sent prop Adi Longbone crashing over to lead 16-6.

Two more penalties by Richards kept Broadstreet in the game but Ionians were always looking the stronger team, going close twice more through Adam Thomas and Rob Whittam.

Loughborough Students 25

Harrogate 13

HARROGATE gave the leaders a stern test and led until the sixth minute of the second half.

Constant Loughborough pressure then forced Harrogate into mistakes and they left without even the bonus point which their efforts had merited.

Mike Aspinall's penalty put the visitors into the lead after 15 minutes.

George Drake levelled before a loose ball was snapped up by Loughborough centre Nathan Lambden, who dived over in the corner.

Harrogate continued to attack from a solid forward platform but Loughborough managed to contain dangerous breaks from Steve Parsons, Kyle Dench and Aspinall until the latter tucked in behind a forward drive to score and convert before the interval.

His drop-goal extended Harrogate's lead shortly after the break but Drake soon replied in kind and two errors by Harrogate enabled centre Owen Lewis to score between the posts.

Harrogate attacks were thwarted and the final score was a fine individual effort from the Students' No 8, Phil Burgess.