HULL RUFC

Hull RUFC-24 Leicester Lions-16

Hull won their last home game of the season on Saturday in an entertaining match against Leicester.

John Boden scored a 25m penalty in an edgy first 15 minutes but Darren Wigg opened up the game four minutes later when he finished a short range catch and drive before James Cameron hit the post with the conversion.

Leicester winger Carl Pallas put Leicester back in front within five minutes when the visitors sustained pressure ten metres out gave Pallas space on the left to receive a high ball over the defence and run in from fifteen metres.

Boden missed the conversion but scored the last points of the half when his penalty on the 22m line took the Lions lead to six points in the last ten minutes. Scott Plevey and Andy Gravil came on at the break to replace the forwards and Plevey only needed seven minutes to change the game.

Maea David did well to open a gap in the Leicester line 15m out with a sturdy challenge which allowed Rob Devonshire the space to push through before being stopped on the line. Plevey reacted quickest to support and dived over the line. Cameron gave Hull a one point lead with the successful conversion.

Hull were then gifted a try just before the 60th minute as Matty White intercepted a poor pass just 10m from the Leicester line and sent a low ball to the open space which Devonshire rushed into on the left hand side to round the marker but the lead stayed at six when Cameron’s conversion went wide.

With ten minutes of the match remaining Leicester took advantage of a poor scrum 30m out and made use of the three man overlap when a quick switch of play allowed Scott Morris to catch Hull out on the left wing and saunter in from distance.

But Hull substitute Neil Spence made sure of the game and the bonus point when heavy pressure in the 22 was rewarded with a short catch and drive which Spence finished off to keep Hull fifth in National League 2 North.

Hull’s Greg Lound made his first league start for the club and the stand-off spoke after the game:

‘Playing against the wind in the first half made it tough and gave them a lot of territory but when we got into some good areas then we took it to the opposition and scored some good tries.

‘We did calm down in the second half and the wind was back in our favour so we dealt with the couple of chances they had and made ours count. It was a close and compact so we were pleased with our passing to get into scoring positions.’