Super League: Richard Horne-inspired Hull FC beat St Helens
Last Updated: 01/08/14 11:11pm
Hull ended their wait for a Super League win with a shock 19-12 victory over leaders St Helens at the KC Stadium.
Veteran half-back Richard Horne, who is set to retire at the end of the season, produced a man-of-the-match performance, scoring the hosts’ first try and being influential throughout as the Black and Whites clinched their first win in seven matches.
St Helens skipper Paul Wellens scored his 1,000th point for his club as they battled throughout with a makeshift half-back pair, but they could not put away their lowly opponents.
Saints, who stay top of the league following Leeds’ surprise defeat to Bradford, lifted the Steve Prescott Cup - in memory of the former England full-back who played for both clubs – as they topped the aggregate score in the two games this season.
Saints made the brighter start and took the lead when right winger Tommy Makinson scooped up a wayward pass and wrong-footed the Hull defence to score his 22nd try of the season.
Mark Percival added the conversion to make it 6-0 but Hull gradually clawed their way back into the contest and levelled the scores when Horne twisted and turned out of a series of attempted tackles to touch down, with Joe Westerman converting.
Pressure
Hull were now on the front foot and although a clean break by Jamie Shaul came to nothing, they maintained the pressure and it paid off six minutes before the break when Tom Lineham forced his way over from dummy half close to the line and Westerman's second goal made it 12-6.
The half-time hooter came at a good time for St Helens, who were a rejuvenated side at the start of the second half, largely through the efforts of hooker James Roby.
Makinson demonstrated his ever-present threat with a 50-metre break out of defence and, although Shaul pulled off a crucial tackle, Hull's defence was left exposed for Willie Manu to play in skipper Wellens.
Percival's second conversion tied the scores but that served to inject fresh enthusiasm into the home ranks.
Westerman missed a chance to reclaim the lead for Hull when he put a penalty attempt wide of the target but another probing run from Horne created the position for prop Mickey Paea to storm over the line.
Westerman was again off target with the goal attempt but a series of handling errors kept Saints pinned inside their own half and Westerman clinched the win with a penalty and a drop goal.
