Despite conceding two early tries Hull fought back to lead 26-24 after sixty eight minutes but lapses in concentration saw them eased out by just a five point margin in what was a great afternoon’s rugby.
A late change to the Darlington side saw Waugh come in at full back and it was he who opened the scoring with a try after three minutes as he latched on to a pass after quick tap penalty in Hull’s half after just three minutes . Two minutes later Hull’s midfield were absent as the visitors centre and captain Liam Checksfield was left far to much space and he raced over near the posts but his try, like the first ,went unconverted.
Hull steadied themselves and an astute crossfield kick by of half Reece Dean was collected by winger Tom Lineham who handed off a defender before diving in at the right hand corner for a try converted magnificently by Reece Dean after thirteen minutes .
Darlington were next to score after a catch and drive from a lineout after twenty nine minutes enabled their second row Simon Usokwe to crash over near the posts with his off half Flynn Ward converting .Ward was on the score board again just six minutes later when a speculative kick by him evaded all Hull’s players and bounced kindly into his hands as he raced over for try which he then converted seeing Hull well adrift at 24-7 with half time beckoning. Hull gave themselves a lifeline when after a lineout near the Dsarlington line they moved the ball left and Lineham took a short ball to pound his way over for try in the left hand corner once again well converted by Dean to see Hull just ten point behind at the halftime whistle.
The second half saw Hull throw everything at their visitors .Eventually the pressure told and Hull’s number eight Paulos Latu powered his over for two tries .One from a catch and drive and the other from a quick tap penalty one of which Dean converted to see Hull leading 26-24 after seventy minutes . With victory in their sights Hull made a couple of errors and Darlington’s winger Joeli Varo was credited with two late tries one of which was converted by Ward. One of Hull’s qualities is that they never stop trying and their efforts were rewarded by a nicely worked try in the left hand corner by centre Jack Render which went unconverted to see Darlington breath a sigh of relief as the whistle went and they had won 36-31
HULL RUGBY UNION FOOTBALL CLUB 