Hull KR 17 Hull FC 10: Hull count cost of Rovers derby loss as Long suffers new injury

The success will have been particularly pleasing for the former Hull FC full-back, one of four ex-Airlie Birds in a Rovers side whose added enthusiasm proved crucial in inching their way home in a typically enthralling affair.

Few people, apart from an ecstatic section right behind the posts in a sold-out Craven Park, seemed to be even aware of Briscoe’s try that levelled the contest just before the hour mark.

A gang tackle on Martin Gleeson had seen the Hull centre dumped behind his own goalline with a drop-out to come.

However, right at the last, the embarrassed experienced ex-Great Britain international spilled under pressure leaving Briscoe to outstretch a hand for the simplest of scores and a ripple of surprised noise spread around the ground.

Michael Dobson converted to make it 10-10 and, with Hull having just lost key man Sean Long to a dislocated shoulder, gritty Rovers found another gear to press home.

When Danny Houghton delivered a forward pass to Craig Fitzgibbon under no pressure – one of numerous senseless mistakes which hampered Hull all afternoon – Blake Green’s wonderful dummying crossfield run ended in the Australian scything through with Briscoe, typically, motoring up on his inside shoulder to finish.

Dobson improved again and, after Sam Moa and Richard Horne both squandered possession cheaply to deny the visitors a response, he stepped up with a 74th-minute drop goal which confirmed the triumph.

They also thought Ben Galea should have been awarded a try in between when Dobson’s first drop goal attempt ricocheted and the outstanding second-rower dived on the loose ball as Horne dithered.

However, referee Steve Ganson deemed it had rolled dead and Hull survived but their continued mistakes ultimately thwarted any chance of a reprieve.

Rovers had prop Scott Wheeldon in towering form while Clint Newton returned from injury for his first game since mid-March to bolster their pack.

Long, meanwhile, was back for the first time since breaking his thumb while inspiring Hull to victory in the Good Friday derby, only to succumb to injury once more while performing a heroic tackle on Galea shortly before Briscoe’s first try.

Richard Agar’s side certainly missed his presence and nous after the veteran trudged off as his organising had pivotal in securing them a 10-4 advantage in a game which saw plenty of errors before finding its rousing finish.

Hull had taken the lead in the 15th minute via Kirk Yeaman. It had been his punishing hit on Green that saw the stand-off spill as he tried squeezing out a pass in the corner.

Tom Briscoe picked up and, with only red and white colours for company, raced 85m before finally being hauled in by Kris Welham.

However, the Rovers’ player ripped possession in the tackle and from the ensuing scrum, Horne’s bullet pass to Yeaman saw the Hull centre roll out of Craig Hall and Liam Colbon’s attempted tackles to earn his 16th try of the year.

Dobson’s wickedly bouncing grubber profited Rovers with a drop-out but again they wasted the possession, Welham failing to keep hold of Dobson’s pass as they sought to go wide.

Shaun Briscoe and Green combined to deny Jordan Turner after he found a rare gap while Yeaman almost got over as he shot out of dummy-half but was just denied by a desperate effort.

Hall almost prospered against his former club when Horne dallied as Green’s grubber bounced past him towards touch, Hall sneaking in only for the Hull full-back to recover and steal possession back.

Dobson should have done better after Cockayne and Welham had disrupted Hull’s right-side but the Australian failed to take the latter’s pass.

However, their rivals remained equally profligate; the otherwise impressive winger Colbon, who ran like a prop on his own return from injury, badly fumbled Long’s kick only for Hull to concede penalty for obstruction.

Likewise, when Green’s 40/20 attempt sailed straight out, Tom Briscoe lost the ball on the first tackle as he crabbed across field and was hit by Ben Cockayne.

Newton threw a forward pass into touch as Colbon dived helplessly as the needless errors persisted and it was clear whoever could start controlling the ball better would emerge victorious.

Dobson did just that with his delayed short pass to Galea allowing Welham to notch his 16th try of the season, returning level with Yeaman as Super League’s top scorer, in the 39th minute.

He could not convert so the sides went in level but a moment of magic from Joe Westerman, the second-row silkily dummying one-handed to slice through Rovers’ defence, saw Gleeson edge Hull in front in the 50th, Danny Tickle kicking the goal.

However, Gleeson would soon suffer his expensive gaffe and frustrated Hull, who remain in eighth just a point ahead of their rivals, would never recover.

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Hull KR: S Briscoe; Cockayne, Hall, Welham, Colbon; Green, Dobson; Vella, Hodgson, Wheeldon, Galea, Lovegrove, Murrell. Substitutes: Netherton, Fisher, Taylor, Newton.

Hull FC: Turner; Whiting, Gleeson, Yeaman, T Briscoe; Horne, Long; O’Meley, Houghton, Moa, Manu, Tickle, Fitzgibbon. Substitutes: Obst, Lauaki, Dowes, Westerman.

Referee: S Ganson (St Helens).