Second Best In All Areas As Visitors Take Bragging Rights

Both Hull RUFC and Hull Ionians entered the first derby of the season at Chants Ave without a win, but it was the visitors from Brantingham Park who took the bragging rights with a 55-18 win.

Lewis Minikin helped himself to 25 points with a try, four conversions and four penalties as the visitors ran riot. This derby game was settled by half-time as the rampant visitors gave Hull a lesson in both defence and attack.

Hull Ionians coach Mal Holden said his players worked hard to execute their game plan to the letter leaving the emotion of the derby day out of the equation and he said it had worked well. 

Hull started slightly the better side in terms of field position using the breeze to their advantage with full-back Reece Dean slotting over two well struck penalties to see Hull ahead 6-0 after five minutes. A minute later Hull Ionians produced a move that was to epitomise their work for the rest of the afternoon. A lineout deep in Hull’s half was carried forwards powerfully and as Hull’s defence was breached a simple pass to flanker James Sanderson saw him touch down near the posts with Minikin adding the conversion.  

Hull then missed a penalty that would have put them back in the lead and then immediately had a kick charged down in their own ’22’ with Sanderson on hand to gather a score again with Minikin adding the easy conversion.

After 17 minutes Hull scored a great solo try when scrum-half Harvey Harding took a quick tap penalty and dummied his way past three defenders to race 40 yards to score, and Dean converting. 

However, it was Harding’s counterpart Sam Pocklington who scored next after 24 minutes making best use of a good forward drive by the Ionians pack to run through a large gap in Hull’s defence to score his side’s third try with Minikin adding the conversion. After 35 minutes Minikin put his side further ahead with a well struck penalty.

Pocklington then grabbed his second try of the afternoon after Hull failed to gather a high ball on the half way line and could only watch as the visitors raced away with good handling skills to put their scrum half over for yet another try converted by Minikin.

With Hull looking shell shocked Ionians took full advantage as winger Jimmy McDaniel eased his way past three missed tackles to touch down for an unconverted try to see his side in a dominant position at half-time leading 34-13.

The second half could not have started worse for Hull. Despite bringing on powerful prop Charlie Beech, they were unable to stop a further try being scored after 47 minutes as a deft chip through Hull’s defence saw Minikin collect and touch down under the posts for a fine try which he converted. 

A bullocking unconverted try from Beech after 57 minutes was some consolation for Hull as the visitors reasserted control to see the game out with three Minikin penalties and a good individual try by Will Yates who ran past three defenders on his way to an unconverted try after 76 minutes to see his side overwhelm Hull 55-18.