Hull FC 18 St Helens 32: Jake Connor kick leads to 11 minutes of mayhem for Hull FC

AS WITH all sports, rugby league is a game where the margin for error can be minimal.
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Hull FC’s Jake Connor will not need reminding of that this evening.

His side, full of fight and vigour, were leading champions St Helens 6-2 at the start of the second period when his misjudged kick narrowly fell into touch on the full.

Players clash as the Betfred Super League match between Hull FC and St Helens boils over at the KCOM Stadium (Richard Sellers/PA Wire)Players clash as the Betfred Super League match between Hull FC and St Helens boils over at the KCOM Stadium (Richard Sellers/PA Wire)
Players clash as the Betfred Super League match between Hull FC and St Helens boils over at the KCOM Stadium (Richard Sellers/PA Wire)
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It was the second time the England international had been errant in such a manner.

On the first occasion, in the first half, Saints did not capitalise. They certainly did second time around.

From that mistake, the visitors - who had previously struggled for any sort of cohesion - ruthlessly scored four tries on the bounce.

The next time Hull had the ball in possession, other than to restart the game, they somehow found themselves 24-6 down and hopes of maintaining their 100 per cent winning start to the new season utterly dashed.

Hull FC's Carlos Tuimavave celebrates during the Betfred Super League match at the KCOM Stadium, Hull. (Richard Sellers/PA Wire)Hull FC's Carlos Tuimavave celebrates during the Betfred Super League match at the KCOM Stadium, Hull. (Richard Sellers/PA Wire)
Hull FC's Carlos Tuimavave celebrates during the Betfred Super League match at the KCOM Stadium, Hull. (Richard Sellers/PA Wire)
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Of course, the blame will not be left squarely at Connor’s door; Hull’s defence - so resolute beforehand - withered away worryingly as Saints took firm control.

However, the indiscretion will be maddening for head coach Lee Radford, especially as the Merseyside club, so prolific when finishing top by 16 clear points last term, had failed to score in the previous 135 minutes and looked like a side ready to potentially crumble under increasing pressure.

Instead, for the first time in the afternoon, their backline linked seamlessly and accurately to smuggle Matty Costello - on the wing after Regan Grace failed to return for the second period - over in the left corner in the 46th minute.

Tommy Makinson was marginally wide with the conversion attempt to leave it level at 6-6.

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It did not stay like that for long; the visitors scored in the next set after Mahe Fonua failed to secure Theo Fages’ kick down the same Hull right edge, England prop Luke Thompson mopping up the loose ball for Makinson to improve.

Next, they attacked that suddenly prone side once more - like Grace, Hull winger Ratu Naulago did not come out for the second period - to force a drop-out.

Jonny Lomax, too easily, teased and tormented before finding Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook crashing over on his inside.

After that, Hull conceded a penalty to concede yet more ground and this time Lomax fired out a lovely cut-out pass that left Carlos Tuimavave marooned and James Bentley easing over untouched.

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Four tries in 11 minutes, all converted by the returning Tommy Makinson, saw 22 unanswered points and Saints rejoicing once more.

New England coach Shaun Wane was in the stands watching and he will have loved seeing how stand-off Lomax operated.

When Hull finally got the ball back, Connor - also hoping to nail that England No6 jersey - was penalised for shoving Zeb Taia at the play-the-ball.

Tuimavave did break away for his impressive second try but it did not start a comeback; Makinson added a penalty and Aaron Smith went to make sure before Jamie Shaul crossed for a consolation with the final play, Marc Sneyd slotting his third goal.

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Hull led at the break by virtue of Tuimavave’s 27th minute converted try.

Neither side created too many clear-cut opportunities and this effort came after Grace failed to defuse Connor’s lofted chip under pressure from Ratu Naulago.

It was one of Hull’s few decent kicks; both Connor and Sneyd struggled to get their range right.

Initially, that mattered not as they and their colleagues defended so well.

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Rarely in recent history can Saints have gone three successive halves of rugby league without scoring but here it seemed they could not find a way to break down Hull.

On the back of the previous week’s 19-0 loss at Warrington Wolves, you could understand why Saints fans may be fearing the worst when they take on NRL champions Sydney Roosters in Saturday’s World Club Challenge.

Yet those fears were eased somewhat after that destructive second period.

Although Storm Dennis had eased - a huge downpour made way for bright sunshine by kick-off - the players were in no mood for calmness, whipping up their own storms with a number of flare-ups.

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Ligi Sao seemed at the centre of it all initially, the Hull prop being late with one challenge to incense the Saints players.

However, the hulking Aucklander - who has made such a fine start to his Super League career - was more than happy to engage in running battles with most of the opposition pack as the game wore on.

He handled himself well. Fellow front-rower Scott Taylor, though, was their most impressive forward, particularly with his first stint in which he continually drove hard through Saints’ middle.

Hull had been forced into a late change when replacement prop Josh Bowden pulled up in the warm-up, Jordan Lane coming into the 17.

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Makinson had opened the scoring with a fifth minute penalty but it was not until much later that his side finally got into their groove and secured a fourth straight win at the KCOM Stadium.

Hull FC: Shaul; Naulago, Tuimavave, Fonua, Swift; Connor, Sneyd; Taylor, Houghton, Sao, Jones, Griffin, Ellis. Substitutes: Lane, Johnstone, Fash, Matongo.

St Helens: Welsby; Makinson, Naiqama, Costello, Grace; Lomax, Fages; Walmsley, Bentley, Thompson, Taia, Peyroux, Knowles. Substitutes: McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Lees, Paulo, Smith.

Referee: Liam Moore (Wigan)