The two sides of Hull came together for the seventh time at a Magic weekend as FC and KR did battle in front of an ever growing crowd at the sun-soaked St James Park in Newcastle.

It was ninth against tenth with both sides desperate for a top eight spot. FC just needed to win by two or more to take eight spot from Castleford but KR needed a twenty-seven point win to take up residency in a super eight spot.

Rovers had won five previous Magic weekend meetings over their old enemy with FC picking up just the single win.

The Airlie Birds drew first blood after a pinpoint kick to the left corner was collected by Kirk Yeaman amongst a crowd of players to drop over the line and ground. Marc Sneyd kicked a great goal from wide, more black and white joy.

But the joy was short lived, when three minutes later KR's Josh Mantellato went down the right wing to dive over off a Welham pass for an acrobatic try. Mantellato converted his own try brilliantly from the touch line and the scores were all square.

Fetuli Talanoa edged FC in front after Dixon knocked-on while trying to collect a kick through and from the resulting plays he found space to cross. The conversion attempt was missed for 10-6. On twenty-five minutes Gareth Ellis got in on the scoring action when he brushed aside two KR tacklers to score from five metres. Sneyd added the extras this time for 16-6.

Just before the thirty metre mark and Kieran Dixon scored a try from nothing when he intercepted a Yeaman pass within his own ten, and went ninety metres down the line to score. Mantellato kicked the goal thanks to Dixon improving the angle and we had a game again at 12-16.

Mark Minichiello threw a dummy five out and dragged three tacklers over the line with him to stretch out one-handed to score. Marc Sneyd added the extras and restored FC's ten point lead, which they held until the interval.

There were just three minutes on the second half clock when Talanoa got his second of the afternoon on a big overlap on the left, improving the angle at the risk of going dead in goal and making the Sneyd conversion a more simple one than it might have been.

Two minutes later and FC were on fire. The try was made by a Pryce break, a supportive role from Houghton before a pass to Jordan Rankin to go under the sticks. Sneyd goaled easily for 34-12 and it was becoming a landslide as KR could do nothing to halt the Airlie Birds momentum.

KR saved some face and halted the FC onslaught when they scored a long range try on ? When Sio took. Sneyd kick on his own line, went ninety metres before passing inside to Kieran Dixon to go the last ten metres to score. Mantellato slid the ball wide with his conversion attempt to leave his side still trailing by eighteen at 16-34.

On fifty-seven the KR dream was back alive when Mantellato went down the wing to stretch over in the corner for his second of the game but he couldn't add the extras from the touch line but with over twenty minutes left the Robins dream was alive.

Fifteen out from the end and Taloana's hat-trick (his first ever) looked to have sealed it, as he muscled his way over the line off a Houghton pass to score in the left corner. Sneyd kicked brilliantly for a 40-20 lead. There was no way back for KR.

After Ben Cockayne conceded a penalty in his own twenty for holding down, Kirk Yeaman took the ball from the Houghton tap penalty to come inside and go over for his second of the afternoon. Sneyd kicked the two for a commanding 46-20 lead.

An injury to Kevin Larroyer a few minutes from the end disrupted the close of the game but it was FC who ended in attack, where they had spent most of the previous eighty.

FC were well worth this win over their oldest enemy as they take the bragging rights and lift themselves to eighth. The Black & Whites were clinical in attack and with just a couple of blemishes, accomplished in defence. This was the most points that Hull FC have scored over KR in Superleague, and The Robins were left wondering what had hit them.

FC: Rankin (T), Lineham, Sa, Yeaman (2T), Talanoa (3T), Pryce, Sneyd (7G), Paea, Houghton, Watts, Ellis (T), Minichiello (T), Westerman. Subs: Paleaaesina, Green, Abdull, Whiting.

KR: Cockayne, Mantellato (2T, 2G), Welham, Sio, Dixon (2T), Blair, Campese, Puletua, Boudebza, Green, Larroyer, Ollett McCarthy. Subs: Cox, Donaldson, Greenwood, Esslemont.


Referee: Robert Hicks
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