Tony Smith´s coaching reign of his fifth Super League club got underway at Hull FC in the final game of round one as his new side took on a Castleford Tigers side coached by ex-FC boss Lee Radford.
Neither side were fancied pre-season by the bookies or pundits and came into the game anxious for a great start to calm nerves and get their supporters onside for the long season ahead. For this game the bookies made FC the slight favourites but only gave the Tigers a two-point start on the handicap coupon.
Once again it was a large opening round crowd which greeted the sides to the pitch.
The opening action was all Hull FC as the Tigers doubled down in defence. A delightful Tex Hoy cut out pass gave Darnell McIntosh a walk-in try to get the season underway. The conversion was good from Jake Clifford for a 6-0 lead after eight minutes.
Within a minute Brad Dwyer was the provider as he went through a gap before passing to Liam Sutcliffe to scamper over under the sticks. Clifford was again on target and it was the dream start for the home side, the Tigers unable to get their hands on the ball.
The third Hull try came on fourteen when Chris Satae made good ground before offloading into the path of McIntosh who dribbled the ball forwards and picked up to ground for his second of the game. Clifford was unable to add the extras from the touchline, but the Airlie Birds were in total control.
Finally, some joy for the Tigers on twenty-one when Nial Evalds exploited a penalty for offside late in the tackle count when he found Bureta Faraimo to ground in the corner. Gareth Widdop added the conversion to reduce the arrears to ten points.
From the back of the scrum the Black and Whites were in again as the ball made its way to Adam Swift to go in down the wing as he outsmarted Faraimo to score in the corner. Clifford was again off target with the boot sparing the Tigers further embarrassment with just over ten of the first half left.
Two mistakes from Castleford, the second giving away a scrum, enabled Tex Hoy to throw a looping pass to Swift on the wing to go over unopposed. From the touchline, Clifford found the target with the boot for 26-6 on thirty-five minutes.
Expansive play from FC saw them rewarded with the first try of the second half as they turned defence into attack, Ben McNamara finding Danny Houghton for a length of the field try. Clifford added the conversion for 32-6 after fifty minutes.
Great defence from Hull denied Faraimo his second of the game and two plays later the Tigers attacking play broke down as Jordan Turner knocked-on inside the FC twenty.
Some respite came for the Tigers on the hour mark when Kenny Edwards went through a broken FC defensive live to score. Widdop was again on target with the boot for 32-12.
It was back-to-back tries when Jacob Miller found space two plays after the Tigers received the kick-off. Widdop was again on target, the margin now down to just fourteen in a game. And on sixty-eight the FC nerves were shredded as old Hull favourite Faraimo went in for his second of the game as he found space down the right wing following a mistake from Hoy. Widdop added the extras, and the margin was down to just eight points.
Incredibly, with five minutes left on the clock, Jake Mamo added a fifth Castleford try of the game as he weaved his way through a broken defence to get the ball on the ground. Widdop again hit the mark and there were only two points between the two sides with four minutes remaining.
FC finished the game defending for their lives but held on for the win and a crucial first two points of the campaign.
This was the proverbial game of two halves, FC totally dominant in the first forty but a sensational fightback from the Tigers in the last twety minutes which got them so close to securing a sensational comeback win. The Airlie Birds had just enough left in the tank to take the two points, but the way that they almost crumbled at the feet of Castleford in the second half will be a worry for coach Tony Smith.
Hull FC: Hoy, Swift (2T), Sutcliffe (T), Scott, McIntosh (2T), Clifford (4G), McNamara, Satae, Dwyer, Taylor, Lane, Griffin, Fash. Subs: Cator, Evans, Houghton (T), Lovodua. 18th Man: Brown.
Castleford Tigers: Evalds, Faraimo (2T), Fonua, Turner, Mamo (T), Widdop (5G), Miller (T), Watts, McShane, Massey, Edwards (T), Mellor, Westerman. Subs: Lawler, Griffin, Broadbent, Matagi. 18th Man: .
Half-Time: 26-6.
Full-Time: 32-30.
Score Progression: 4-0, 6-0, 10-0, 12-0, 16-0, 16-4, 16-6, 20-6, 24-6, 26-6 : HT : 30-6, 32-6, 32-10, 32-12, 32-16, 32-18, 32-22, 32-24, 32-28, 32-30 : FT.
Lead Exchanges: Hull FC.
Referee: Marcus Griffiths.
