Club Historian Stephen Hodgson takes us on a trip down memory lane every week of the season. With rugby cancelled 5 years ago due to the coronavirus pandemic, Stephen has delved further into the club records to pick out games played on this week 10, 15 and 20 years ago. It continues to be a popular read with former and current players. Do you feature this week?
28 March 2015 – National Two North: Ampthill 45-14 Hull
Hull battled throughout but ultimately the home side had more forward power as the visitors went down 45-14 at promotion chasing Ampthill. The hosts opened the scoring after just two minutes but Hull replied immediately as the referee awarded a penalty try, Greg Lound levelling the scores with his conversion. The hosts pack paved the way for another converted try but were soon depleted by the referee issuing yellow cards to two Ampthill forwards although Hull’s Ollie Cook was also sin-binned for retaliation.
Hull piled on the pressure and were rewarded with a Ben Sullivan score, again converted by Lound, to level the scores. Ampthill, now back to a full compliment of players, mounted a telling attack of their own and their third converted try gave them a 21-14 lead at the break. Hull’s defence was tested time and time again with Cook and Sullivan outstanding in their resolve to deny the hosts. However Hull were unable to prevent regular tries from the hosts with a penalty try followed by a further three tries, two converted, to see Ampthill home.
Team: J Kirk, A Holland, T Tanumi, A Heard, S Hihetah, G Lound, O Hardisty, T Price, T Rice, P Sewell, B Thomas, A Corkish, A Hedges, B Sullivan, O Cook. Subs: M Jobling, B Thoy, R Holland, A Tamanis
Tries: B Sullivan, Penalty try
Cons: G Lound 2
27 March 2010 – National Division Two North: Waterloo 13-27 Hull
Former Hull FC player Motu Tony came on as a substitute to make his long-awaited debut as Hull moved into fifth place, gaining maximum points with a 27-13 win over Waterloo. The visitors got off to a flying start when a break from James Cameron resulted in a Robin Kitching try, Cameron just missing the tight conversion angle. Two minutes later Rob Devonshire attacked down the left and shrugged off three challenges before releasing Matt White to touch down. Cameron added the conversion and Hull led 12-0 inside five minutes.
Despite a Waterloo penalty two minutes later Hull were rewarded for their dominance when Ollie Hardisty floated a kick for winger Danny Smith to run onto and score. Five minutes before the break Waterloo took advantage of the sin-binning of Hull’s Darren Wigg to score a close range try . However a James Cameron penalty when Devonshire was illegally tackled put Hull firmly in command at the break. Hull collected their bonus point three minutes into the second half when Sione Onesi finished off a succession of rucks to score. Cameron was forced off with a dislocated finger soon after allowing Motu Tony to come off the bench at full back. Waterloo completed the scoring in a scrappy second half but Hull left victorious with five well earned points.
Team: N Gandy, A Piercy, M White, R Kitching, D Smith, J Cameron, O Hardisty, J Ward, J Lamping, K Fullman, D Wigg, A Campbell, S Onesi, N Spence, R Devonshire. Subs: A Gravil, T Vaikona, M David, W Robinson, M Tony.
Tries: R Kitching, M White, D Smith, S Onesi
Cons: J Cameron 2
Pens: J Cameron
26 March 2005 – North One: Hull 8-16 Altrincham Kersal
Hull missed a great opportunity to go top of the league when they lost at home to a much improved Kersal side. Hull needed to win by more than fifteen points to overtake leaders Preston but unfortunately produced an under par performance in a dour and mistake-ridden game played in constant rain. Kersal took the lead with a 15th minute penalty and the rest of the half produced a forward-orientated game before an exchange of penalties in first half added time, Gary Pearce kicking the Hull penalty, resulted in an interval score of 6-3 to the visitors.
Hull started well in the second half but missed two penalties and opportunities for Chris Kendra and Danny Smith were thwarted by desperate defending from the visitors. Kersal were awarded a controversial try in the 56th minute when a kick ahead by Pearce was charged down and a kick and chase saw the Kersal right winger and Danny Smith dive for the ball as it crossed the line with both colliding on the slippery surface. The referee awarded Kersal a very dubious penalty try which was duly converted. Two minutes later Hull’s scrum half Kendra kicked ahead and Danny Smith won the race to score in the corner, too far out for the conversion. At 13-8 the game was finely balanced with defences on top but a 75th penalty for the visitors sealed the win.
Team: G Martinson, D Smith, M Donkin, A Smith, L McKenzie, G Pearce, C Kendra, J Ward, T Garnett, A Fish, S Bates, S Anderson, M Ma’ake, S Higginson, B Sanders. Subs: N Lyon, N Tonga.
Tries: D Smith
Pen: G Pearce
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