Round 15
Hull FC 8 l. St Helens 16

2008 engage English Super League Index [Table] [Draw] [Player Stats] [Club Headlines]

Location: United Kingdom > National > First Grade Competition: engage English Super League

Dobson impresses in debut Hull KR performance
Mon May 26, 2008
Source: www.superleague.co.uk

Hull Kingston Rovers new-boy Michael Dobson produced an impressive performance to help his side come from behind to claim to a 22-8 victory over Harlequins.

The Australian joined from Canberra Raiders having had previous spells with Wigan Warriors and Catalans Dragons and was handed his first start at Craven Park.

And the 21-year-old showed some good touches on his debut and opened his account with two tries as Rovers fought back from a half-time deficit.

Rovers were dealt a blow in the sixth minute when Scott Murrell appeared to injure a shoulder in a tackle and went straight down the tunnel.

Rovers were caught offside a couple of times before going close in the 13th minute when Dobson's long kick was pushed dead by Ricky Sheriffe.

Danny Orr's drop out went straight into touch but Rovers decided to run the penalty without any reward.

Shaun Briscoe knocked on as he tried to intercept an inside pass from Orr but the knock-on was enough to save an almost certain try.

However Harlequins took the lead in the 17th minute when Henry Paul and Orr combined superbly to send in Michael Worrincy. Paul's conversion attempt went narrowly wide.

Dobson's try levelled the scores when he forced his way past a couple of defenders before reaching over the line for an unconverted try.

Just before the break Jake Webster earned himself 10 minutes in the sin bin for rushing into a midfield squabble.

His loss proved costly as Harlequins took the ball up field from the penalty and Hill sent in Grayshon for an unconverted try to see Quins 8-4 up at the break.

Rovers started the second half in determined fashion and a drive downfield ended with Paul Cooke popping the ball up out of the tackle for Chris Chester to score. Cooke's conversion took Rovers 10-8 ahead.

Gareth Haggerty was placed on report for a high tackle on Briscoe and Randall sin-binned in the 53rd minute for holding down.

Stanley Gene hammered his way over on 58 minutes and Cooke's conversion put Rovers 16-8 ahead,

And Dobson wrapped things up with his second try in the 79th minute converted by Cooke, following an initial break by Gene.

Report Source: www.superleague.co.uk


Saints reclaim second beating battling Hull FC
Mon May 26, 2008
Source: www.superleague.co.uk

St Helens reclaimed second place in the engage Super League after digging deep to see off a battling Hull FC side at the KC Stadium.

The visitors withstood a barrage of pressure in the second half as Hull, stung after the departure of coach Peter Sharp last week, produced a performance that belied their 11th place in the table.

Saints led 10-4 at half-time after Jon Wilkin and Ste Tyrer tries but it was not until Leon Pryce barged over after the hour their victory began to look secure.

Yet even then they could not breathe easily as the Airlie Birds, despite being without playmaker Shaun Berrigan for much of the game, impressed caretaker coach Ricard Agar by fighting to the end.

Saints looked dangerous in the opening quarter and continually broke the Hull line from deep. They took the lead after only five minutes as James Roby set Wilkin racing away to score.

Hull then threatened a breakaway try of their own as Craig Hall scooped up a loose ball and sprinted clear but referee Richard Silverwood pulled back play after deeming both sides to have knocked on.

Francis Meli was the next to pierce the Hull defence as Saints threatened again but Lee Gilmour's sprint for the line was brilliantly stopped just short by Willie Manu.

The ball was quickly recycled but Hull captain Lee Radford denied Tyrer with another excellent tackle. Saints pushed again on their next tackle but the chance was eventually lost as Roby failed to cling on while diving for the line.

Wilkin and Meli combined to peg Hull back again in their next attack and this time there was no let-off as Pryce kept the ball alive on the last tackle and Matt Gidley's superb flick put Tyrer in out wide.

Long added a good conversion but Hull finished the first half strongly and it took a good Willie Talau tackle to halt a charging Jamie Thackray.

Hull got themselves back into the game two minutes before the interval as Gareth Raynor pushed a Todd Byrne kick back inside for Kirk Yeaman.

The ball went to ground but Yeaman was quick to pounce, kicking it past Gidley and a slow-to-react Sean Long to touch down.

Hull started the second half strongly but Saints produced some excellent defence to repel four successive sets behind their own 20-metre line.

Two penalties in quick succession finally earned the visitors some respite just after the hour and Pryce took full advantage as he powered his way over for his side's third try.

Long surprisingly missed the conversion but a penalty late on made sure of the points.

Hull at least finished with a flourish and claimed a deserved second try as Raynor went over in the left corner in the final minute.

Report Source: www.superleague.co.uk

Sat May 24, 2008
• Airlie News: Hull FC v St Heens
  

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