Inspired London beat Hull FC in bottom-two battle

Betfred Super League

Hull FC (4) 4

Tries: Martin

London (12) 29

Tries: Rourke (2), Campagnolo, Leyland Goals: Leyland (6) Drop Goal: Leyland

Josh Rourke and Oli Leyland inspired London Broncos to a Magic Weekend win over Hull FC in the fight to avoid the Super League wooden spoon.

Full-back Rourke scored two tries and made another for Jack Campagnolo, while Leyland had a personal tally of 17 points as Broncos recorded only their third win of the season.

Lewis Martin had replied to Rourke's opener, but Hull FC collapsed as Leyland's boot moved London out of sight as Rourke and Leyland added late tries.

Victory left Broncos level with Hull FC on points, although the capital side remain rooted to the bottom on points difference.

With no relegation, there was little jeopardy going into the game, but the word 'pride' was being bandied around by both camps, who have had dismal seasons.

Broncos were off to a flier as Rourke made use of Campagnolo's good work to side-step over, but Martin quickly replied after latching on to Morgan Smith's kick behind the defence.

Both of these teams have improved after poor starts to the campaign, but with Hull sloppy in defence and uninspired in attack only Broncos looked like winning this one.

Josh Rourke celebrates after scoring for London Broncos in the first game of Magic Weekend

Rourke fielded a high bomb and cleverly passed behind his back to Hakim Maloudi, who in turn sent Campagnolo over for a try that, along with Leyland's second successful conversion, made it 12-4 at half-time.

Hull FC interim coach Simon Grix made changes, but his side struggled to put anything together and their indiscipline handed Leyland the chance to slot two penalties, and then add a drop goal, that put them more than two scores ahead.

That was the cue for Hull to fall apart completely as Rourke collected another high kick to score before Leyland darted through for a try of his own.

The game ended in farce as the hooter went and the ground staff put on the sprinklers, only for referee Liam Rush to insist on re-starting in order to sin-bin Hull's Denive Balmforth for a late challenge.

Hull FC interim head coach Simon Grix told BBC Radio Humberside:

"It was a Championship-standard game, I don't think either side was very good. They had an ability to look after the ball and keep turning up, and we didn't.

"We've been doing it tough for a while, as everyone knows. I don't like to go on too much because I just get called that I'm making excuses.

"There are some realities in there - blokes who are not at the right level, throw in the injuries and mixing positions in the game and we don't have the mental agility to deal with that at the moment.

"[Jack] Walker has a ruptured bicep, [Carlos] Tuimavave I'm not 100% sure, there are a couple of ailments there."

Hull FC: Walker, Barron, Tuimavave, Briscoe, Martin, Charles, Smith, Ese'ese, Lane, Sao, Chamberlain, Cartwright, Aydin

Interchanges: Balmforth, Eseh, Fash, Jebson

London: Rourke, Kershaw, Bassett, Natoli, Miloudi, Campagnolo, Leyland, Kennedy, Davis, Butler, Lovell, Adebiyi, Stock

Interchanges: Waine, Tison, Bienek, Jones

Referee: Liam Rush