A high scoring game was in the balance until the sixtieth minute when Hull’s number eight Alec Renouf capped off a thunderous performance by gathering a loose ball at a lineout sixty yards from the York try line to sprint down the touchline and outpacing the York defence for a sensational try that opened the floodgates for Hull in the last twenty minutes .
There was little sign of the final score in the first half which started with both sides probing each other until a speculative kick by York was allowed to bounce by the Hull defence and York’s full back Josh Griffin was first to react, collecting the ball and running forty yards for a try under the posts that former Hull player Reece Dean converted after just eighteen minutes. Hull responded seven minutes later when they counter attacked and great backing up saw centre Caleb Stanley score half way out for an unconverted try. A penalty by Hull’s off half Harry Gunn-McLean saw his side edge ahead 8-7after thirty two minutes but that was cancelled out by a Reece Dean penalty for York moments later. Hull then went in to overdrive with two tries in the last four minutes of the half. After thirty six minutes a penalty to Hull saw them kick for touch, win the ensuing lineout and after a series of forward drives the ball was moved left for the irrepressible Hull full back, Tom Minns, to dive over in the left hand corner with Gunn McLean adding a magnificent conversion. As the half drew to a close York mishandled at a lineout and Hull surged forward with great handling seeing scrum half Harry Pinder touch down under the posts with Harry Gunn McLean adding the conversion to see Hull leading 22-10 at half time.
The second half started well for York with Reece Dean notching up ten points to see his side within two points of Hull and harbouring thoughts of a second win of the season. After forty seven minutes he caught an ill judged kick to Hull’s wing ,racing fifty yards for a try which he converted , and then four minutes later adding a penalty to see his side just two points adrift after fifty two minutes. It was eight minutes later that Alec Renouf struck the killer blow with his try putting his team 27-20 ahead and igniting Hull’s attacking skills. Four minutes later Hull scored again when after a catch and drive from a line out Hull retained possession, moved the ball left for centre Caleb Stanley to pop the ball inside for Harry Pinder to touch down under the posts with Harry Gunn McLean adding the conversion. With Alec Renouf being replaced by David Halaifonua, Hull remained in overdrive and after sixty eight minutes Hull attacked from deep in their own half with centre Jack Render racing in from forty five yards for a try converted by Harry Gunn-McLean. With just nine minutes left on the clock Hull’s replacement scrum half Joey Barratt set up another Hull attack after a Hull scrum, and Hull’s Tom Minns finished the move with yet another try to see Hull out of sight. A late catch and drive move by York after a lineout saw them get a converted consolation try but the day belonged to Hull as they scored a try after a catch and drive manoeuvre of their own through front rower Jack Bergamans, converted by Harry Gunn-McLean who also kicked a penalty goal in extra time to see his side complete a second half points fest and win 54-27.
