A tense game full of attacking intent errors and total commitment was eventually won by the visitors Hull with a last minute try by substitute back David Davidson converted by Reece Dean.
Hull Ionians started the game well and after an early surge into the visitors’ ’22’ Hull’s winger Harry Gun Mclean went off injured with Harrison Astley coming in off the bench to replace him.
Moments later a good Hull Ionians attack saw slick handling ending a fine unconverted try for full back Lewis Minikin after just four minutes. Hull’s injury woes continued as Jamie Shaul went off with a leg injury after seven minutes with David Halaifonua moving onto the wing and Paulos Latu coming off the bench into the pack.
After 14 minutes Hull’s centre Peter Hudson -Kowalewicz broke clean through but the final pass went to ground. The home side looked lively but after a missed penalty attempt it was Hull who took advantage of a lineout win near the home ‘twenty two metre area’22’. A driving run by Halaifonua saw the ball recycled and a deft pass by off half Dean saw second rower Liam Regardsoe touch down under the posts for Dean to kick the conversion after 23 minutes.
Hull then made the most of penalty awards with Dean kicking one of them to see his side 10-5 ahead after 27 minutes. Hull Ionians Lewis Minikin kicked a penalty after 33 minutes to close the gap to 10-8 and only a last ditch tackle by Hull’s Dean kept the home side out to see the away side lead by two points at half-time.
The second period saw the home side start well but a try chance went when they were penalised for holding on at the breakdown right in front of the posts after 41 minutes.
Hull responded with two penalty goals in the 48th and 51st minutes as the home side were finding the scrums difficult to handle and conceding possession via penalties. Hull Ionians had a couple of penalty kicks that were missed before scoring a fine try through winger Sam Wilson after several phases and some more quicksilver handling. Minikin’s conversion seeing the gap down one point in Hull’s favour after 58 minutes.
The home side were beginning to dominate territorially and a penalty goal by Minikin after 65 minutes looked as though it might be the winning score as it put Hull Ionians into an 18-16 lead.
Hull raised themselves and a brilliant last minute short lineout ball saw Charlie Beech power his way through several defenders who decided not to try and stop the battering ram. The recycles ball went through eight players from left to right before David Davison won the derby by scoring in the right hand corner. With his team-mates still celebrating a fantastic derby win, Dean split the uprights with his difficult conversion to seal a 23-18 win.
Hull overcome three key players going off injured and some heavy pressure from the home side to come out on top in a breathless derby game where both sides had given everything.
HULL RUGBY UNION FOOTBALL CLUB 