Late Dufty try helps Warrington deny Hull FC fightback

Betfred Super League

Hull FC (0) 18

Tries: Balmforth, Sutcliffe, Briscoe Goals: Reynolds (3)

Warrington (12) 24

Tries: King, Dufty (2), Walker Goals: Thewlis (4)

Matt Dufty’s late try ended a stirring Hull fightback to end Warrington’s run of three straight defeats.

Back-to-back Super League defeats by play-off rivals Wigan and Salford had sandwiched the Challenge Cup final defeat by the Warriors as Sam Burgess’ side began to stutter after a good start to the season.

It looked like they might suffer again as second half tries from Denive Balmforth, Liam Sutcliffe and Tom Briscoe saw the Black and Whites draw level in the closing stages after tries from Toby King, Dufty and Danny Walker had seemingly put the Wolves out of sight.

After beating Leeds last week for only their second Super League win of the season, Hull wasted chance after chance and they paid for it as Dufty picked up a loose ball and darted through the defence to secure the victory.

The first half had been a microcosm of Hull’s season as they enjoyed plenty of possession but could not find the extra yard or the killer pass or finish, while their opponents feasted on scraps.

Warrington took an early lead through King, but Hull came back strongly without finding the penetration they needed.

Briscoe was brilliantly held up over the line by Adam Holroyd, Herman Ese’ese and Brad Fash were both denied inches from the line and Briscoe lost the ball as he dived over in the corner.

Self-destruct button

The sinbinning of Holroyd for a high shot on the lively young Hull fullback Logan Moy gave the home side fresh incentive, but they again hit the self-destruct button as George Williams’ lovely pass sent Dufty dancing over for his first try.

Hull were ruing their missed opportunities, but they were lifted early in the second half as 20-year-old hooker Balmforth, who scored his first Super League try in last week’s win over Leeds, intercepted and raced half the length of the field to slide over for another.

Another Hull error, this time from Ligi Sao, handed Warrington possession, from which Walker restored their 12-point lead, and with Sao and Jack Ashworth limping out of the game, it all looked over.

Hull dug deep, and another interception and break, this time from Carlos Tuimavave, set up Sutcliffe’s try, as he did superbly to pick up Balmforth’s grubber kick.

The home fans at the MKM Stadium sensed a famous comeback, and they looked like getting it as quick hands from Moy sent Briscoe over in the corner and Ben Reynolds nailed the kick to level.

Warrington had been under pressure for long spells, but when they got a chance to attack in the dying moments, Josh Thewlis went for a drop goal. The cheers of the Hull fans died in their throats as Fash’s charge-down was picked up by Dufty, who found the energy and pace to race through the flagging defence and win it.

Hull FC: Moy, Briscoe, Tuimavave, Sutcliffe, Martin, Trueman, Reynolds, Ese’ese, Smith, Aydin, Scott, Lane, Sao

Interchanges: Ashworth, Balmforth, Fash, Gardiner

Warrington: Dufty, Thewlis, King, Tai, Ashton, Williams, Drinkwater, Harrison, Walker, Vaughan, Nicholson, Holroyd, Currie

Interchanges: Musgrove, Bullock, Powell, Wood

Referee: Ben Thaler

Hull FC interim head coach Simon Grix:

"I felt we could have maybe got something out of that game. I’m proud of them because they had a good performance but also had some adversity.

"They went through a bit today and to get beat on the bell was a bit of a sucker punch.

"We’ve been hit by 50 a number of times this year and I’d rather feel like this, as much as this one hurts, I’d rather feel like this than like that, so lots of positives."

Warrington Wolves coach Sam Burgess told BBC Radio Manchester:

"[There were] too many mistakes, we made 19 errors I think, which is too many.

"I’m surprised we’ve won because we completed at 44% of the game so it’s not good enough, but on the other side, I’m proud of their effort in some areas because they’ve managed to win a game with no ball and giving it up every other set.

"I thought Hull were good, they tried hard and played with a lot of energy and they’ll be disappointed with the result and I guess we are on the other side of it and we’re happy we’ve got away with one.

"It’s a funny game. We’ve got two points that we came for and it wasn’t a polished performance, far from it."