Hull FC lose to Catalans in Houghton's last game

Betfred Super League

Hull FC (4) 4

Try: Martin

Catalans (6) 24

Tries: Satae, Laguerre, Mourgue, Davies Goals: Mourgue 4

Catalans Dragons ended their Super League season with a win at Hull FC, who said goodbye to legendary hooker Danny Houghton.

Dragons went into the game at the MKM Stadium knowing their play-off hopes were already over, although victory means they climb above Leeds Rhinos to finish seventh.

Avoiding a third heavy defeat in a row saw Hull stay above bottom side London Broncos on points difference.

A disappointing encounter was made more special with Airlie Birds hooker Houghton making his 451st and final appearance at his hometown club before retirement.

The 35-year-old announced in August he was ending his 17-year playing career - all of which has been spent at the Black and Whites.

Long-serving Carlos Tuimavave, who won the Challenge Cup alongside Houghton in 2016 and 2017, was also playing his last game after eight years at the club.

Hull went into the match off the back of shipping 58 points at home to Salford last weekend and conceding 68 at Leeds the week before.

But they took the lead against their French opponents when Lewis Martin collected Morgan Smith's high kick on the try-line and crashed over.

The hosts were unable to build on that early momentum and Catalans went into the break leading thanks to Chris Satae's converted try.

Matthieu Laguerre's score stretched the visitors' advantage early in the second half and Arthur Mourgue then finished a fine team move to dive over next to the posts.

Tom Davies' late try added gloss to the score for Catalans, but last year's beaten Grand Finalists will see this as a disappointing campaign.

Even though Hull lost for the 24th time in the league this season, for them the game was more about paying tribute to Houghton.

The former captain played 23 minutes in the first half and then returned to the field after the break to a standing ovation.

Danny Houghton has been at Hull FC his whole career since making his debut in 2007

Hull FC: Moy, Barron, Tuimavave, Westerman, Martin, Smith, Kemp, Gardiner, Houghton, Ese'ese, Lane, Cartwright, Aydin.

Interchanges: Ashworth, Balmforth, Jebson, Laidlaw.

Catalans: Tomkins, Davies, Smith, Laguerre, Yaha, Mourgue, Fages, Navarette, Da Costa, Bousquet, Sims, Sironen, Garcia.

Interchanges: Satae, Rouge, Dezaria, Wallace.

Referee: Tom Grant