Round 10:
Hull fend off Wildcats challenge

Hull secured a maximum four engage Super League points from the Easter period after fending off the challenge of Wakefield 36-24 at the KC Stadium.

Richard Agar?s men have now beaten Tony Smith?s Wildcats on three occasions this season and their six-try success followed an impressive win at Huddersfield on Friday.

Agar, in caretaker charge since the departure of John Kear two weeks ago, will now lead his troops to the south of France where they face Catalans Dragons on Saturday, before handing over the coaching reigns to the incoming Peter Sharp.

Sharp will no doubt be relishing the prospect of working with Richard Horne, who marked his 200th club appearance with an outstanding display, whilst Kirk Yeaman claimed a hat-trick and Nathan Blacklock touched down twice.

Smith will be more than disappointed with this reversal, which comes on the back of a hard-fought win over Castleford. The former Hull scrum-half has often bemoaned the lack of consistency his side continue to display.

After both sides struggled to adapt to the swirling wind early on, Wakefield were the first to score in a half where the sides were only separated by a Paul Cooke penalty. After Ben Jeffries and Semi Tadulala had hacked kicks ahead, Jason Demetriou was on hand to ground, only to see Hull soon level matters when Horne and Cooke combined to send Blacklock flying over.

Motu Tony then prevented Paul White from scoring, only to see Sam Obst edge Wakefield ahead again after the scrum-half took advantage of sluggish marker defence. Jamie Rooney converted but Cooke was soon doing so from the touchline after Yeaman had posted a try with a typically strong run.

A Cooke penalty on the stroke of half-time sent Hull in ahead at the break and, on the back of a penalty given against Michael Korkidas, Sid Domic was able to send Blacklock in for a second try shortly after the interval.

The touchdown was Blacklock?s fourth in two games after the winger had missed a month of action with a knee injury. Hull?s joy, added to by Cooke?s conversion, was soon tempered however when Rooney sliced open their defence to score, his own conversion bringing the scores together at 20-18.

Substitute Danny Brough then wasted a glorious chance to regain a foothold in the game for the home side, spilling possession with an overlap and try begging, whilst Obst produced some sterling defensive work to keep Wakefield in touch.

Shaun Briscoe was guilty of squandering possession with Hull well set, although Yeaman?s second of the game and Brough?s goal settled any serves slightly.

As the intensity of the contest increased, referee Ronnie Laughton awarded Wakefield five penalties in as many minutes and it was no surprise when Jeffries fed the supporting White who scored under the posts.

The balance again switched quickly and Blacklock slipped a pass to Tony who swooped for a deserved try whilst Brough?s touchline miss left the scoreline in the balance again at 30-24.

But Yeaman soon confirmed matters, crashing over the line to secure his treble, the second time he has posted a hat-trick against Wakefield this season.

Hull: Tony, Blacklock, Domic, Yeaman, Dixon, Cooke, R. Horne, King, Swain, Carvell, Radford, Chester, Whiting. Replacements: Dowes, Wheeldon, Brough, Briscoe.

Wakefield: Halpenny, White, Demetriou, Atkins, Tadulala, Rooney, Jeffries, Griffin, March, Korkidas, J. Field, Solomona, Betham. Replacements: Obst, MacGillivray, Wrench, Catic.

Hull: (14) 36. Tries: Blacklock 2, Yeaman 3, Tony. Goals: Cooke 4, Brough 2.

Wakefield: (12) 24. Tries: Demetriou, Obst, Rooney, White. Goals: Rooney 4.

Referee: R Laughton (Barnsley)

Att: 9,898