Hull FC 4 Hull Kingston Rovers 21: Rovers marching forward after battered Hull suffer derby loss

When that defeated colleague was Willie Manu, possibly the most explosive player in Super League, it was understandable why grizzled Australian prop O'Meley was left with such a resigned look across his face.

Hull's vaunted pack – him, Manu, Craig Fitzgibbon et al – had been brought to a standstill. Again. The usually robust Epalahame Lauaki was diluted too and there would be no platform on which to build any sort of momentum in this, the most important derby in 30 years.

Rovers hooker Ben Fisher, who benefitted directly from his side's dominance, dashing away for a crucial 50-metre try in the first half, admitted Justin Morgan had dared his forwards to wreak such havoc.

"The coach challenged our middle men," he told the

Yorkshire Post, after his jubilant side returned from the west side of the city having ended their arch-rivals' season in ruthless style and delivered their own first-ever play-off success.

"He told us we had to be strong as they'll come straight at us up the middle.

"We wanted to put our hand up and be counted. Our pack did just that and it was relentless, whoever was on the field.

"It proved to be a great team performance."

His inventive try on Saturday evening, where he burst down a middle so softened up by his colleagues and interchanged with the outstanding Shaun Briscoe, had stunned the hosts as they fell 12-0 behind.

The Robins had endured the misery of losing twice in regular round defeats against Hull this season but when it mattered most they performed.

"In the second period, we knew we didn't have to score," Fisher explained.

"We could rely on our defence – kick long, chase hard, tackle well and make them earn anything they could get."

They executed all of that and all Hull could earn was Tom Briscoe's 51st-minute effort after Jordan Turner swooped on a rare Rovers error from replacement forward Matt Cook, newly to the action and not yet into the intensity.

But, just like the rainbow which had emerged over the KC Stadium, it was only the briefest of respite.

Soon the rain returned, and incessant Rovers, who dealt with the conditions so well while their opponents forced passes, continued in their methodical destruction to secure the sweetest of victories.

Scott Murrell, whose fine kicking game was on a par with his more celebrated partner Michael Dobson, rattled Fitzgibbon to force another error and, after Manu's lazy arm leveled Ben Cockayne, Dobson struck the penalty to add to his earlier conversions.

At 14-4, Fox could maybe have been brandished a yellow-card after holding down a breakaway Tom Briscoe, his England colleague who along with Fitzgibbon and Jordan Turner, was one of the few Airlie Birds to perform.

But they survived and Kris Welham grabbed a fortuitous try at the other end with six minutes remaining to see Hull fans leaving in their droves.

Dobson improved again and Murrell made sure with a drop goal near the death which had delirious Rovers supporters in a disappointing crowd of 17,699.

Seasoned ex-Australian Test props Joel Clinton and Mick Vella proved gargantuan up front amid some brutal combat and their endeavours enabled Rovers to execute a kicking game which Hull could not cope with.

It was Murrell's pinpoint kick, early in the tackle count, that found Peter Fox in acres of space for the England winger to open the scoring on 10 minutes.

By then, Hull had already endured a significant loss. Craig Hall, preferred to Jordan Tansey despite the full-back's return from suspension, limped off after suffering what is believed to be a cruciate ligament injury.

That meant Hull's half-back frustration continued again. Richard Horne, playing only his sixth game alongside captain Sean Long, was immediately switched to the back, disrupting their fluency once more and leaving the fragile former Great Britain man prone to some heavy treatment.

But even if Long, who looked well off the pace, and Horne had been in tandem, it is hard to imagine they, or Kirk Yeaman who was absent with a foot injury, would have conjured anything of note against that suffocating Rovers defence which twice held attackers up over the line.

Coach Richard Agar, who undoubtedly rued the previous week's loss to Leeds which saw them miss fourth and fall to sixth, admitted: "We were fairly and squarely beaten by the better team on the night. The massive difference was the kicking games between the two."

The 211st derby might not be celebrated as much as Rovers' 1980 Challenge Cup final win but, as they prepare for another sudden-death trip at Wigan on Friday, Fisher said: "We knew the loser would be out and we didn't want to be sat on that for the next four months.

"The city had gone absolutely mad over this game but we wanted to concentrate on it being a semi-final, not just the fact it's the derby.

"We did that and it's Hull's season which is over now," he added.

Hull FC: Hall; Lyne, Berrigan, Turner, T Briscoe; Horne, Long; Radford, Houghton, O'Meley, Manu, Tickle, Fitzgibbon. Substitutes: Washbrook, Lauaki, Cusack, Moa.

Hull KR: S Briscoe; Fox, Cockayne, Welham, Colbon; Murrell, Dobson; Vella, Fisher, Clinton, Newton, Galea, Netherton. Substitutes: Lovegrove, Wheeldon, Cook, Hodgson.

MATCH FOCUS

Hero: Scott Murrell

Normally slogs away in the background but his excellent kicking, which pinned Hull back, created Peter Fox's try and delivered a celebratory point, was allied with defensive fortitude, punishing Craig Fitzgibbon and Richard Horne with particularly hefty tackles. Fine all-round performance.

Villain: Richard Horne

Even when he returns to the field next February, the luckless Hull stand-off-cum-full-back might still be suffering nightmares of this mistake-ridden performance. Almost everything he touched turned to black.

Key moments

After Tom Briscoe's try brought them back to 12-4, Shaun Berrigan stole possession off Josh Hodgson on the first tackle to set Hull up with another quick chance to score. But, as a gap opened, Danny Tickle could not keep hold of Sean Long's arrowed pass in the wet. Soon after, Peter Fox brilliantly defused a Long kick to relieve more pressure. Rovers escaped and, when Willie Manu erred in the 65th minute, Michael Dobson's penalty made sure of victory.

Ref watch

Phil Bentham: Controlled the contest well so it rarely looked like boiling over in typical derby fashion. Maybe should have given Peter Fox a yellow card, though, for that lengthy tackle.

Verdict

Hull KR executed their gameplan to perfection, keeping it simple and uncomplicated in difficult conditions while their rivals turned over too much ball and failed to gain enough territory. Rovers fully deserved the success but Hull will look back on a much-improved season knowing if they had secured fourth spot the outcomes could have been so different.

Quote of the day

I don't know why anyone would want to bite him; he's not the leanest.

– Hull KR coach Justin Morgan after his chunky stand-off Scott Murrell was allegedly nibbled on, in a first-half incident which was put on report.

Next game

Wigan Warriors v Hull Kingston Rovers, Super League play-offs, Friday September 17.