The grand finale of the Magic Weekend in Newcastle pitted the red and white, against the black and white sides of Hull as FC took on KR.
Hull FC were big favourites to win the game, a feat which would see them ending the weekend all alone, two points clear at the top of the Super League table. A win for KR would give their supporters the bragging rights but would also give them an all-important two points to get them to within a point of the top eight.
One half of Hull would be going home happy.
It was FC who took the lead on six when Mahe Fonua took a high Marc Sneyd kick, despite interest from two KR defenders, to spin over the line. Sneyd added a simple conversion for exactly the start that Lee Radford's side wanted.
On twenty, KR were down to twelve men for ten minutes when Sean Lunt was sin-binned for an illegal lift and within seconds of the restart Curtis Naughton was at the end of a passing line to dive over in the corner. Marc Sneyd slid the conversion attempt right of the uprights.
Two minutes after returning to the field Sean Lunt made amends when he went over from acting half-back, throwing the dummy and pushing past Pritchard and Haughton to ground. Terry Campese kicked the conversion for 6-10 with six minutes to the interval. It was Hull KR who finished the game on the front foot and with a few seconds left Terry Campese kicked a penalty for 8-10 after he was shoulder charged by Danny Washbrook while putting in an open play kick.
Within a couple of plays of Marc Sneyd knocking on from the kick-off, KR were awarded a penalty for interference at the play-the-ball and Campese kicked the goal to level the score at 10-10.
The Robins hit the front on forty-six when Graeme Horne punished three consecutive FC penalties going over off a short pass. Campese kicked the extras and from ten points behind, KR now had a six point lead.
The game was ebbing one way and then the other. It was the Airlie Birds who made a period of pressure tell when Fonua came inside his tackler to get his second of the afternoon. Sneyd converted to tie the game up again.
Just after the hour mark and FC were back in front after an exceptional passing move ended with Jamie Shaul scampering over under the sticks giving Sneyd his easiest kick of the afternoon for 22-16.
The points looked like FCs when Mark Minichiello went between four tacklers to go twenty metres and ground. Sneyd kicked the extra two for a twelve point lead with ten minutes left on the clock.
Sneyd tried two cheeky drop goals, hitting the post with one and sending the other well wide, but FC ran down the clock on a 28-16 win.
KR gave their nearest neighbours a bit of a scare either side of half time, but FC didn't panic and ground out the win which takes them to the top of Super League. The Robins threw everything that they had into the game, but it simply wasn't enough against one of the seasons surprise packages. It's been a long time since Hull FC topped the domestic pile, but after today's performance they have earned that honour.
KR: Marsh, Sio, Horne (T), Thornley, Minns, Campese (4G), Kelly, Tilse, Lawler, Allgood, Blair, Greenwood, Clarkson. Subs: Walker, Lunt (SB, T), Donaldson, Green.
FC: Shaul (T), Naughton (T), Fonua (2T), Yeaman, Talanoa, Pryce, Sneyd (4G), Tyson-Wilson, Houghton, Watts, Manu, Minichiello (T), Ellis. Subs: Bowden, Pritchard, Washbrook, Tuimavave.
Referee: Richard Silverwood.
Attendance:
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