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13 September 2025, 19:27 BST
Betfred Super League
Hull FC (22) 34
Tries: Martin, Bamforth, Sezer, Barron, Lane, Hardaker Goals: Hardaker (5)
Warrington (2) 2
Goal: Sneyd
Hull FC stayed in the chase for the sixth and final play-off place by coasting to victory against struggling Warrington Wolves.
The visitors took an early lead through Marc Sneyd’s penalty but, after Lachlan Fitzgibbon was sin-binned the home side scored four tries in 16 first-half minutes – Lewis Martin, Denive Balmforth, Aidan Sezer and Harvey Barron all crossing.
John Cartwright’s side had hoped neighbours Hull Kingston Rovers would do them a favour by beating sixth-placed Wakefield, but they lost and that means the scrap will go down to the last round of matches.
The Black and Whites must now beat Catalans Dragons on Thursday and then hope Wakefield lose at bottom club Salford Red Devils the following evening.
A Dragons victory seems unlikely after this round of results but Hull can take comfort from the fact that they have gone to the final match still in contention after finishing second from bottom on points difference last season.
They went into the game with a host of injuries and with four players suspended by the RFL disciplinary committee this week, meaning they had to field a young team and recall two players from loan.
That showed in a combative opening 20 minutes, when the only thing between the teams was Sneyd’s usual accuracy from the kicking tee as he slotted a penalty.
But the yellow card for Fitzgibbon for a high shot on Sam Eseh changed the mood. And in their next attack the Black and Whites took full advantage, moving the ball wide for Martin to edge the top of the Super League try-scoring charts with his 23rd of the season – and 30th in all competitions.
Three minutes later Balmforth was on Barron’s shoulder as he broke clear to score another, and before Fitzgibbon returned Sezer had danced over for a third try in seven minutes.
Warrington went into the game on a terrible run of losing six of their previous seven and that fragility showed through as they collapsed after a decent start.
Barron latched on to Sezer’s grubber kick for another try before half-time and Jordan Lane also made the most of the Australian’s deft footwork for a try after the break.
Zak Hardaker scooted over the line from dummy half and converted his own try to wrap up the scoring.
‘Enthusiasm of youth’ – reaction
Hull FC coach John Cartwright told BBC Radio Humberside:
“It was a performance we’ve been trying to put on at home for a while. We worked really hard defensively and that was the key.
“It was pretty much all Warrington early but we defended our line strongly. It’s hard to put a figure on the enthusiasm of youth but they were excited about playing – we had 11 Hull local boys out of the 17 today, and there was a really good feeling at training through the week when we announced they were going to get a crack.
“The pleasing thing was that we held tight on our tryline for long periods of time right throughout the 80 minutes.
“It was a really good way to send our fans home with perhaps our best home display of the year.”
Warrington coach Sam Burgess told BBC Radio Merseyside:
“The bottom line is that our team is a bit flat at the moment. We were trying hard and the yellow card hurt us. The 18 unanswered points in that 10-minute period were tough, and then we were chasing.
“We are just missing so many guys – as they [Hull FC] are – but we lost any ascendancy in the game.
“You can look at the end result but in the middle of it there was effort in a lot of areas. Was it top-quality effort, and is it good enough for this standard? Probably not, but there’s effort.
“I believe good things will come from this period. The players are learning things about themselves and others which will only make them stronger, a bit more resilient.”
Hull FC: Moy; Barron, Briscoe, Litten, Martin; C Kemp, Sezer; Gardiner, Balmforth, Watts, Hardaker, Lane, Fash
Interchanges: Cust, Eseh, Laidlaw, Salabio
Warrington: Taylor-Wray; Josh Thewlis, King, Duffy, Jake Thewlis; Ratchford, Sneyd; Philbin, Walker, Thomas, Stone, Fitzgibbon, Matterson.
Interchanges: Powell, Holroyd, Wood, McKinney.
Referee: Tom Grant.
