Hull FC 0 Hull KR 22: Familiar story for hosts at start of new Super League era as Rovers revel in victory

Anything that could have gone wrong did go wrong on a disastrous opening night for Tony Smith's side at the MKM Stadium.

The Black and Whites lost new signing Franklin Pele to a red card on the stroke of half-time for a senseless swinging arm on Hull KR captain Elliot Minchella and finished with 11 men after Ligi Sao was sent off following an altercation with Matt Parcell.

Herman Ese'ese saw yellow early in the contest, by which time Hull had already seen two players join the casualty list.

Experienced centre Liam Sutcliffe was struck down by illness during the warm-up and loose forward Joe Cator limped off early on with a leg issue.

In the second half, veteran hooker Danny Houghton and former KR full-back Jack Walker were forced off with head injuries.

For a club with deep-rooted mentality issues, it was the worst possible start to the 2024 campaign.

That it came against fierce rivals Hull KR will only sharpen the pain.

Rovers – top dogs in the city since 2020 – took great pleasure in bursting Hull's bubble at the first opportunity in front of a crowd of 20,014.

For the second year running, the Robins nilled their neighbours in front of a shell-shocked home crowd.

Debutants Niall Evalds and Kelepi Tanginoa scored inside the opening quarter before Mikey Lewis put the game beyond Hull's reach.

Man of the match Lewis turned provider to put Parcell over before Evalds completed his double late on.

While it was far from perfect, particularly with a man advantage, there was enough to encourage the visiting fans that Rovers will be in the title conversation this season.

The pre-game pyrotechnics and light show provided a striking spectacle and the fireworks continued on the field.

Pele bumped off Tyrone May on a rampaging run from the kick-off but Hull otherwise failed to positively channel their aggression.

Together with fellow derby new boys Ese'ese and Jayden Okunbor, Pele was guilty of getting lost in the occasion.

After the imposing prop was caught square at marker, the Robins moved into Hull territory and posted the first points of the 244th Hull derby just six minutes in.

Rovers shifted the ball to the right where Tom Opacic fended off Davy Litten – the man to replace Sutcliffe at late notice – to put Evalds over.

It quickly unravelled for the Black and Whites in a manner that will concern their supporters who have seen it all before.

The injured Cator was soon followed off the field by Ese'ese after he was sin-binned for a high tackle on Tanginoa.

The former Wakefield Trinity back-rower dusted himself down to punish Ese'ese and join fellow new signing Evalds on the scoresheet.

Morgan Smith kicked the ball out on the full to underline the scrambled minds in the home camp and Hull were unable to defend the error.

Minchella was allowed to spin out of a tackle and offload to Dean Hadley and in a flash Tanginoa was flying through a hole from Lewis' pass.

Peta Hiku was off target for a second time from the tee but it was a long way back for a Hull team in turmoil.

The Black and Whites got a look at the KR line following an incorrect play of the ball by Ryan Hall, only for Okunbor to knock on to the delight of the visiting fans behind the posts.

Hull would have taken 8-0 at half-time as the game became scrappy but Lewis landed a decisive blow three minutes before the interval.

The England half-back spotted Okunbor shooting the line and stepped back inside to dart over next to the posts.

Hiku added his first conversion and worse was to come for Smith's men.

With only seconds of the half remaining, Pele rocked Minchella with a huge hit but went back for more and was never likely to get away with a wild second effort.

The second half was something of a non-event before the late drama.

Okunbor showed some belated spirit for the hosts with a try-saving tackle on Tanginoa but the Black and Whites could not keep Rovers out, Lewis putting Parcell over from acting-half on the last tackle.

To compound Hull's woes, they lost Houghton and Walker to concussion either side of the try.

The main negative for the Robins was Hiku's wayward goalkicking, the full-back shanking a straightforward penalty to make it four misses from five attempts.

The match was over as a contest but there were late fireworks when Parcell and Sao saw yellow and red respectively after lashing out at one another.

With Hull waiting for the full-time hooter, Rovers shifted the ball to the right where Evalds slid over to put the seal on a memorable opening night for Willie Peters' men.

Hull FC: Walker, McIntosh, Scott, Litten, Martin, Smith, N Brown, Ese'ese, Houghton, Pele, Okunbor, Sao, Cator. Substitutes: Ashworth, J Brown, Hoy, Lane.

Hull KR: Hiku, Evalds, Opacic, Gildart, Hall, May, Lewis, Hadley, Litten, Whitbread, Tanginoa, Batchelor, Minchella. Substitutes: Sue, King, Parcell, Aydin.

Referee: Liam Moore.