Reserves Match Report: Fev v Hull FC

Fev v Hull FC:
Teams and Scorers
Reserves Competition
Round 4

Fev Reserves v Hull FC Reserves: Thursday April 11th

Hull FC reserves arrived at the LD Nutrition Stadium having won all three of their previous matches this year.

It was a cold evening and the spectators had to wait an extra 15 minutes because of an RFL mix-up over who was going to be the referee. In the end, Stephen Race arrived from Wakefield.

For the first ten minutes of the match Fev found it very difficult to get into the Hull half but good defence prevented Hull from scoring.

At last, in the 9th minute, the referee awarded Fev a penalty for interference which got them over the half way line and some incisive passing enabled Brandan French to score and Morgan Punchard added the conversion. 6-0

But the lead was short lived as a penalty given away for a ball steal gave them good field position and Charlie Graham scored for them on the right wing with Jack Buchanan kicking a good conversion. 6-6

Fev kicked off only for Hull to produce some good running in their next set, finding gaps and they scored again just two minutes after their first. This time it was Lochlan Fitzgerald scoring giving Buchanan an easy conversion. 6-12

Things were looking ominous for Fev when Hull FC scored again in the 21st minute with a try which was very similar to the second and it was first team squad member Cameron Scott who touched down wide out. This time Buchanan’s kick was nowhere near the mark. 6-16

But, as they showed against Wakefield last week, this Fev side doesn’t cave in. Far from it, two gang tackles from the Fev forwards pushed Hull a long way back, the second forcing a drop-out.

In the 32nd minute Jimmy McDaniel showed his pace down the wing to score and, even though he went over in the corner, Morgan Punchard was successful with his lick to bring Fev back to within one score.

Two quick penalties to Fev in the dying minutes of the first half got Fev near to the Hull line but they couldn’t get over the line.

There was still time for Fev to have a fortunate escape when a jinking run from Hull led to the player losing the ball just as he was about to score.

HALF TIME: Fev 10 Hull FC 16

4 minutes into the second half, after good defence from Fev, a big kick from Hull on the 6th tackle swirled all over the place and it was hardly surprising that Fev knocked on in the attempt to catch the ball. Fev survived the six tackles near their line.

In the 48th minute Fev prop James Cranswick produced a great run up the middle which led to a fine finish from Nathan Wright with Morgan Punchard converting to bring Fev level. 16-16

Just 3 minutes later Fev’s other prop, Sam Hawkins produced a brilliant slip pass in the tackle Kiedan Hartley taking it in and with great pace went in to give put Fev back into the lead. Again Punchard converted. 22-16

Hull were rattled and started to give penalties away. And the same pair were responsible for Fev taking a 2 score lead with a fine run by Sam Hawkins who again found Hartley in support and this time it was both pace and swerve that took him in under the posts for his second try in the 55th minute. 28-16

Maybe the Fev side became over-confident when a silly attempted off-load led to a knock-on giving Hull a scrum just 18 metres out and another knock-on a couple of minutes later led to a second Hull scrum and this time they scored through centre Jack Bartlett in the 61st minute but Buchanan couldn’t convert so Fev were still 2 scores in front. 28-20

It began to look ominous as the Fev lads were very tired and for the next period they simply couldn’t get over the halfway line but good kicking from Tom Schofield kept pushing Hull back.. Then a silly penalty for a ball-steal put Fev under big pressure.

When Fev did get into the Hull 20 a poor decision on the last tackle led to a turn-over.

With 9 minutes left Fev gave away another penalty for a foul tackle in our own 20 and in the next set the Hull winger produced a spectacular dive over in the corner but the touch-judge’s flag was up for a foot on the line.

The final minutes saw the Fev line under huge pressure but good defence held firm and Hull couldn’t manage to score.

FINAL SCORE: Featherstone Reserves 28 Hull FC Reserves 20

fevnut’s Man of the Match: Sam Hawkins