Betfred Super League Round 4
MKM Stadium, Thursday 6 March 2025 (8pm)
Hull FC 22-22 Leigh Leopards (after golden point extra-time)
Leopards had mixed emotions after a frenetic and dramatic evening at the MKM Stadium, their point gained taking them top of Super League ahead of the rest of the Round 4 games, their point lost a missed opportunity.
It speaks volumes for the Leopards’ rise that they should regard a point at Hull, a city where so many Leigh teams of the recent and distant past have met with defeats, that they should journey back along the M62 disappointed.
In a game of controversial calls, nonstop action, so many twists and turns and seemingly pivotal moments, they had enough chances to nail the two points. But Hull are a team back on the up, their new-look and energised team responding to a noisy home crowd that once again has pride in the black and white shirt.
Injuries are beginning to cut deep in the Leopards ranks, a sickness bug adding to the problems. Robbie Mulhern joined Frankie Halton on the sidelines and Gareth O’Brien’s departure from the game after a failed HIA early in the second half was perhaps crucial to the outcome, robbing the team of that steadiness and cool, clinical approach in the tensest of situations.
David Armstrong came off two weeks on his sick bed to step up and show what a brilliant player he will become, scoring two superb tries in the second half that twice gave the team the lead.
Andrew Badrock came in for his Super League debut in the back row and adjusted quickly and impressively to the pace and intensity of the game at the top level.
Hull’s offloading game had Leopards’ defence working overtime, Leigh old boy John Asiata directing the attacks and giving his side shape and threat on both sides of the pitch. Jed Cartwright opened the scoring after a sustained attack as Hull kept the ball alive, but Tesi Niu blasted over on the left to restore parity, both Adam Sezer’s and O’Brien’s conversion attempts hitting the post.
After 20 minutes of non-stop action the game changed after first Sezer and then Jordan Rapana were sin-binned for high tackles. O’Brien kicked the penalty arising from Sezer’s yellow. Rapana’s was a desperate attempt to stop Armstrong reaching for the line and some referees, having given the foul, would have considered a penalty try.
Temporarily 13 against 11, Leopards took advantage when Umyla Hanley brilliantly forced his way over in a four-man tackle from Armstrong’s assist for a converted try. But Hull then took the sting out of the game, the crowd noise raised a few decibels and a Jordan Lane penalty and desperate defence restricted any more damage until half-time.
After O’Brien was forced out of the action seven minutes after the resumption, Hull fought back to parity when Sezer’s pinpoint crossfield kick was gathered by Harvey Barron for the equalising converted try. But Armstrong soon had Leopards back in front with searing pace on the outside, cutting through the defence for stand-on kicker Bailey Hodgson to convert from the touchline.
Hodgson then conceded a penalty for an incorrect play-the-ball after rising quickly to his feet following a leg injury. Asiata took full advantage, sending big prop Herman Ese’ese powering over by the posts. Sezer’s goal tied the scores at 18-18 on the hour-mark.
Leopards edged back in front with 13 minutes remaining, Armstrong slicing over again in the left corner from a scrum move. Lam was entrusted with the conversion but was well off-target.
Just 100 seconds remained when Lewis Martin equalised for Hull in the left corner after they had forced a second goal-line drop-out. Referee Tom Grant gave an on-field try that video referee Jack Smith did not overturn, though whether his foot was in touch before he grounded the ball was highly debatable. Sezer’s conversion attempt from the touchline, which would have won the game, looked true until it swerved at the last moment and rebounded off the near post.
Ten minutes of highly charged extra-time followed, weary players throwing themselves into one last effort. More controversy with video calls, three times Leopards apparently setting up drop-goal attempts for Lam, all failing. After 90 minutes of thrilling action, it finished all square. With draws such a rarity in Super League it means that both teams should not have to rely on points difference come the end of the season.
Hull FC
23 Logan Moy; 2 Harvey Barron, 5 Tom Briscoe, 1 Jordan Rapana, 22 Lewis Martin; 14 Cade Cust, 7 Aidan Sezer. 8 Herman Ese’ese, 9 Amir Bourouh, 16 Yusuf Aydin, 11 Jed Cartwright, 12 Jordan Lane, 13 John Asiata
Bench:
17 Jack Ashworth, 19 Brad Fash, 33 Will Hutchinson, 40 Liam Knight. 18th player: 31 Hugo Salabio
Tries:
Cartwright (9), Barron (51), Ese’ese (60), Martin (79)
Goals:
Sezer 2/ 4, Lane 1/ 1
Sin bins:
Sezer (22), Rapana (26)
Leopards
1 David Armstrong; 18 Keanan Brand, 4 Umyla Hanley, 3 Tesi Niu, 24 Bailey Hodgson; 6 Gareth O’Brien, 7 Lachlan Lam; 8 Owen Trout, 9 Edwin Ipape, 12 Jack Hughes, 21 Andrew Badrock, 20 Ethan O’Neill, 13 Isaac Liu
Bench:
17 Brad Dwyer, 15 Alec Tuitavake, 16 Matt Davis, 19 Louis Brogan. 18th player 19 AJ Towse
Tries:
Niu (13), Hanley (26), Armstrong (56, 67)
Goals:
O’Brien 2/ 3, Hodgson 1/ 1, Lam 0/1
Scoring sequence:
4-0, 4-4, 4-6, 4-12, 6-12 (ht) 12-12, 12-18, 18-18, 18-22, 22-22 (ft)
Attendance: 9,765
Penalty count: 7-7
GLDO: 0-2
Referee: Tom Grant
Touch judges: N Horton & W Turley
Reserve referee: D Frederick
M Com: T Randerson
Video referee: Jack Smith
Timekeeper: M Hawkes
