Super League: Wigan Warriors 13-12 Hull FC - Harry Smith secures golden-point win
- Published
Harry Smith's golden-point drop goal was his first successful kick of the night
Betfred Super League |
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Wigan (4) 13 |
Tries: Marshall, King, Wardle Goal: Smith |
Hull FC (6) 12 |
Tries: Swift, Dwyer Goals: Sutcliffe 2 |
Wigan fought back late to pip Hull on golden-point after a dramatic finish.
The hosts went ahead when Liam Marshall waltzed over, but resolute defence and Adam Swift's finish gave Hull a slender 6-4 half-time lead.
Brad Dwyer made it 12-4, Toby King cut the lead, and after Hull lost Carlos Tuimavave to the bin, Jake Wardle levelled with three minutes left.
Both sides missed attempts in a scoreless first extra period before Harry Smith's 40-yard drop-goal won it.
A fourth straight Super League win - and sixth in seven - brings Wigan to within two points of table-topping Catalans, while Hull remain two points outside the play-off spots in eighth.
Smith had a poor night with the boot, missing all three shots at goal and a golden-point drop goal, only to nail arguably the toughest one of the night when it mattered in the 88th minute.
Both sides struggled for fluency at a soggy DW Stadium, with Liam Sutcliffe's penalty giving the Black and Whites a narrow lead in a scrappy opening half-hour.
The first try finally arrived in the 31st minute and, typically, came from a mistake as Smith's spiralling kick ricocheted off Davy Litten's head to Kai Pearce-Paul, who skipped around two players and laid a one-handed offload to give Marshall a simple run-in.
Wigan bossed first-half territory and possession, but Hull defended stoutly and snatched the lead on the stroke of half-time when Jake Clifford's superb high kick bounced up into the hands of Swift to touch down.
Further magnificent defence kept Wigan at bay after the break before Hull landed the classic sucker-punch.
It was the Warriors turn to make a hash of a high ball as they failed to deal with Clifford's high kick and Dwyer pounced.
Carlos Tuimavave was sinbinned for a high tackle a minute before Jake Wardle scored the equalising score
Toby King burst through a gap to haul the Warriors back within four points going into the final quarter.
However, Hull missed a golden chance to go two scores clear with eight minutes left when Litten knocked on as he burrowed for the line.
The game took another twist with four minutes left, with Tuimavave's card for a high tackle on Wardle, who was put through a gap by Jai Field's well-timed pass.
Smith missed a chance to win it when his third shot at goal drifted wide and he then missed a last-gasp drop goal, but finally found his range to break Hull hearts.
Wigan Warriors head coach Matt Peet told BBC Radio Merseyside:
"It looked like two teams coming back from a week of not playing and I think both teams will be glad to get that one out of their system.
"I'm just glad we got the two points, because at the end of the season it could prove an important two points.
"We've had games like that - really ugly - and lost, so it's nice to come out on the right side, because they can become a bit of a lottery.
"Generally defensively and effort-wise, the way we carried the ball and physicality, I thought we were very good.
"We just let ourselves down in terms of game management and execution."
Hull head coach Tony Smith told BBC Radio Humberside:
"I don't think we were good enough in some areas, which probably caused us not to win it, but in some areas I thought we were fantastic and probably didn't deserve to lose it.
"It was hard fought. It wasn't the prettiest game of rugby league that I've ever seen, it's probably down the other end of the scale.
"I didn't think it was a sinbin, it was one of those tackles where a bloke lands flat on his back.
"We see them all the time, but they're the reactions that we get sometimes and our sport's a little over-cautious at the moment with the many tackling issues."
Wigan: Field, Miski, King, Wardle, Marshall, French, Smith, Dupree, O'Neill, Byrne, Pearce-Paul, Farrell, Smithies.
Interchanges: Powell, Mago, Hill, Nsemba.
Hull FC: Litten, Swift, Sutcliffe, Tuimavave, McIntosh, Trueman, Clifford, Taylor, Houghton, Brown, Scott, Savelio, Cator.
Interchanges: Dwyer, Lane, Lovodua, Satae.
Sinbin: Tuimavave (76).
Referee: Aaron Moore.