Hull FC 14-10 Wigan Warriors: Hosts battle past Super League leaders to make it back-to-back wins

Jake Clifford scored a try, set up another for Darnell McIntosh and kicked a penalty as Hull FC defeated Betfred Super League leaders Wigan Warriors; Iain Thornley got two tries on his return for Wigan and Harry Smith kicked a conversion, but they could not overhaul the hosts’ lead

A valiant defensive effort in the second half helped Hull FC topple Betfred Super League leaders Wigan Warriors and make it back-to-back wins with a 14-10 triumph on Thursday.

Jake Clifford had a big hand in the home side leading 14-6 at half-time at the MKM Stadium, setting up Darnell McIntosh for the opening try and then scoring their second himself followed by kicking a penalty.

Iain Thornley’s tries either side of half time on his return to the first team after 11 months – one of which was converted by Harry Smith – got the Warriors firmly back into the contest.

However, the Black and Whites’ defence came to the fore to repel Wigan time and time again, surviving having debutant Jake Trueman sin-binned in the closing stages to end the leaders’ six-game winning streak and move to within two points of the top six.

Story of the game

Tony Smith’s men made a storming start then withstood serious late pressure to seal their second win on the bounce with a performance unrecognisable from their April travails that included a 40-0 derby thumping by Hull Kingston Rovers.

In contrast to the hosts’ gutsy spirit, embodied by two stellar shifts from Brad Fash in the front row, Wigan were flat-footed and error-strewn.

Hull FC were on the front foot from the start and struck after just six minutes when Darnell McIntosh chased down Clifford’s kick to the corner, with the Australian adding the first of his two conversions.

Liam Farrell set Hull alarm bells ringing as he cut through the defence with ease but Wigan could not convert and the hosts extended their lead on the quarter-hour, Clifford stretching over after electing to run the last tackle.

The visitors, for whom five players featured in England’s thumping 64-0 win over France at the weekend, looked flat-footed, coughed up errors and spurned their best chance so far when Thornley failed to grasp a high pass to the wing.

Clifford opted to stretch the Black and Whites’ lead to 14 by kicking the two after Chris Satae was penalised for a high tackle, before Thornley was sent spurting down the left by Bevan French but the home defence held firm.

Thornley, making his first Super League appearance of the season after loan spells with Barrow Raiders and Oldham, looked most likely to break Wigan’s duck and after another jinking run, the 31-year-old finally got his reward five minutes before the break when he speared over from another French set-up.

England international Smith’s cool conversion from the touchline reduced the deficit to 14-6 at the interval, and the shift in momentum continued within four minutes of the restart when Thornley darted over for his second.

As the rain poured, Wigan’s pressure was relentless, and Hull FC’s cause was not helped when Cam Scott and McIntosh both dropped kicks deep in their own territory.

But Peet’s men failed to capitalise on their territorial dominance and Hull FC, shored up by the reintroduction of Fash, sensed another change in the game’s direction.

A mistake by Thornley deep in his own territory piled pressure on the visitors but Danny Houghton’s grubber bobbled free and was pounced upon by French, who burst half the length of the field before the danger was snuffed out.

In a dramatic final few minutes, Junior Nsemba knocked on from a set restart on the 10-metre line, Trueman was sin-binned for holding down Joe Shorrocks, then Jez Litten’s error went unpunished as Wigan knocked on under the posts as the seconds ticked down.

What they said

Hull FC head coach Tony Smith

“First half, I thought we were terrific. Second half, I thought we hung on just – only just – and on any other given night it could have gone the other way.

“We did put enough pressure on Wigan to force some errors. They weren’t at their best tonight, but that happens, and we understand that too. I’m delighted.”

Wigan Warriors head coach Matt Peet

“The first half, I thought we weren’t where we needed to be – particularly defensively. It’s fine margins between being good and being poor, and there were times we didn’t get our first contact right.

“In the second half, I thought that energy was there, but ultimately we lacked execution with the ball. But credit to Hull, they were desperate with their defensive efforts.”

Player of the match Jake Clifford

“That first half really set us up. We controlled the game nicely, built some pressure and got a few tries of the back of that.

“Something we’ve been working really hard on at training is when things aren’t going right we turn up for each other. We weren’t doing that at the start of the year.”

What’s next?

Hull FC make the trip to bottom of the table Wakefield Trinity on Thursday, May 11 in a match which is live on Sky Sports. Wigan, meanwhile, are back at home against Leeds Rhinos the following day in a game which is live on Sky Sports too.