Jack Harbidge reviews the Round 11 clash that saw Hull FC take on a weakened Warrington Wolves side….. Here’s how the game went.
MATCH TIMELINE
| Minute | Scoring Play | Score |
| 1st | Try Josh Griffin (Hull FC) | Hull 4-0 |
| 2nd | Goal Jake Connor (Hull FC) | Hull 6-0 |
| 10th | Try Mike Cooper (Warrington) | Hull 6-4 |
| 11th | Goal Stefan Ratchford (Warrington) | 6-6 |
| 18th | Try Matty Ashton (Warrington) | Wolves 10-6 |
| 20th | Goal Stefan Ratchford (Warrington) | Wolves 12-6 |
| 30th | Try Carlos Tuimavave (Hull FC) | Wolves 12-10 |
| 31st | Goal Jake Connor (Hull FC) | 12-12 |
| 35th | Try Jake Mamo (Warrington) | Wolves 16-12 |
| 37th | Goal Stefan Ratchford (Warrington) | Wolves 18-12 |
| 39th | Drop Goal Blake Austin (Warrington) | Wolves 19-12 |
| 45th | Try Jake Mamo (Warrington) | Wolves 23-12 |
| 46th | Goal Stefan Ratchford (Warrington) | Wolves 25-12 |
| 59th | Try Leilani Latu (Warrington) | Wolves 29-12 |
| 60th | Goal Stefan Ratchford (Warrington) | Wolves 31-12 |
| 77th | Try Blake Austin (Warrington) | Wolves 35-12 |
| 78th | Goal Declan Patton (Warrington) | Wolves 37-12 |
MATCH SUMMARY
1st Half
Warrington’s quest to win their sixth game on the bounce was somewhat scuppered in the build up with seven of their squad being ruled out in self-isolation after track and trace analysis from Sunday’s win over Wakefield.
Their chances took another dive when Josh Griffin scored for FC just over a minute in. Despite going 6-0 down so early on, Warrington were unmoved and continued to press back into the game. Their efforts were rewarded when Mike Cooper took three people across the line to score and help level the scores after a routine conversion for Stefan Ratchford.
Warrington capitalised further and Matty Ashton swept up a favourable bounce of a Blake Austin kick to put the Wolves ahead with just under 20 minutes played. The lead didn’t last, however, and Albert Kelly put Carlos Tuimavave through a hole from close range to score untouched just ten minutes later.
The try seemed to evoke another reaction from Warrington and in particular Jake Mamo, who turned the Hull right edge defence inside out to score and all but give Warrington the halftime lead. The scoring for the half wouldn’t stop there though, as Blake Austin exhibited some great game management and slotted a drop goal in the final minute of the half.
2nd Half
The second half was a decidedly more one-sided affair with Hull FC failing to register a score and instead conceding eighteen unanswered points from Warrington’s impressively fluid attack.
Jake Mamo bagged his second try of the game with great reaction to get on the end of a well weighted Ben Currie grubber and Leilani Latu got on the end of a series of offloads to mark his Super League debut with a try.
With no real push back from Hull for the final part of the second half, Blake Austin sealed the victory with a trademark running try off the back of an astute assist from Danny Walker at hooker.
GAME HIGHLIGHT
Blake Austin once again produced a classy performance that showed why he is the elite half-back in the competition. The somewhat neck-and-neck nature of the first half allowed him to exhibit his game management and finesse with a well-taken drop goal and the second half saw him seal the win for his side with a trademark run close to the line for a score. Super league is certainly lucky to have him.
SQUADS
Warrington Wolves: Ashton, Lineham, Gelling, Mamo, Charnley, Austin, Patton, Latu, Clark, Cooper, Currie, King, Ratchford, Walker, Johnson, Robson, Longstaff
Hull FC: Shaul, Swift, Tuimavave, Griffin, Faraimo, Kelly, Connor, Sao, Johnstone, Brown, Lane, Ma’u, Fash, Bowden, Buchanan, Fonua, Houghton.
