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Page last updated at 20:58 GMT, Friday, 29 July 2011 21:58 UK

Hull FC 16-30 Wigan Warriors

Hull (10) 16
Tries: Yeaman, Turner, Manu
Goals:
Tickle
Wigan (22) 30
Tries: S Tomkins 2, Richards 2, Carmont
Goals: Richards 5

Sam Tomkins
Sam Tomkins' second successive brace took his try tally to 24 for the season

Resilient Wigan held on to ensure they stay top of Super League XVI after seeing off a fiercely determined Hull.

Hull stunned Wigan with an early Kirk Yeaman try, only to be crushed by four in 20 minutes from Sam Tomkins, Pat Richards (2) and George Carmont.

The home side then gave themselves hope with tries from Jordan Turner and Willie Manu either side of the break.

But, after Richards' penalty earned them breathing space, Wigan wrapped it up with Tomkins' stunning second try.

Richards had gone almost the length of the field for his first try after picking off Danny Tickle's pass.

Having then been handed a walk-in second by Turner's shocking loose pass, he was also to add five kicks for another big 18-point individual haul.

Carmont's fifth try in six league matches also owed a lot to luck, an awkward bounce taking Wigan old boy Cameron Phelps out of the frame, allowing the Kiwi centre the freedom of the line.

And, after Hull's revival, at times it got quite fraught for the visitors, especially when Manu's 49th-minute try took the home side to within a score.

It took a Richards penalty on the hour to give Wigan a cushion at 24-16.

But then, with eight minutes left, the refreshed Tomkins killed the contest, as he fashioned a typically outrageous counter attack out of almost nothing.

Swooping at the play-the-ball which followed Sam Obst's stray pass, Tomkins cheekily caught the home defence on the back foot and galloped 70 yards to kill off any hopes of a Hull revival.

We committed rugby league suicide

Hull coach Richard Agar

An eighth win in a row takes the reigning champions three points clear in the race for the league leaders' shield, ahead of nearest rivals Warrington's home date with Bradford on Sunday.

But, with a crunch Challenge Cup semi-final against St Helens just eight days away, the two points may have come at a cost for Michael Maguire's men.

The Warriors lost skipper Sean O'Loughlin and Gareth Hock to injury, while star man Tomkins spent time on the sidelines with a shoulder problem before coming back on to clinch victory with his virtuoso second try.

Carmont also limped his way through the second half as Wigan had to hold on desperately when Hull briefly came back at them.

With top spot now safely assured for the next fortnight at least, Wigan can focus on Saints and next weekend's return to the Halliwell Jones, scene of last week's eye-catching quarter-final win over Warrington.

But Hull, for all their effort and bluster, know that they will fall out of the play-off positions if bitter rivals Hull KR win at Huddersfield on Saturday.

And, with Lee Radford taken to hospital with a suspected broken jaw and Sam Moa nursing a potentially serious knee injury, the Black and Whites' top-eight challenge is now in some jeopardy.

POST-MATCH REACTION

Hull coach Richard Agar:
"We committed rugby league suicide for a short time in the first half. The errors were damaging and simply, against a top side, you can't gift them 16 points.

"The errors could have been deflating to our team, but I thought we showed belief and spirit to pull it back and give ourselves a chance of winning it.

"We gave them too much of a start and for big parts we were tough. We lost Sam Moa and Radford and that had an effect. But we have a rest now, and we will look to get players fixed up."

Wigan coach Michael Maguire:
"Physically it was a tough game for our players. We had a few walking wounded but they should all be okay. That says a lot about the game.

"Sam got a bump and, being aware of everything that was going on, I pulled him off and got the medical staff to have a look at him. He is a good player and I'm glad he's on our team. He's a real competitor.

"We took our chances. We probably didn't have as many as we would like so I'm glad we took the ones we did. They were in a position at stages where they could threaten us. At times our attack showed some good signs and it was a good hit-out, the sort we needed, before next weekend."

TEAMS

Hull: Phelps; Whiting, Turner, Yeaman, T Briscoe; Horne, Obst; O'Meley, Houghton, Moa, Manu, Tickle, Washbrook.

Replacements: Radford, Lauaki, Dowes, Sharp.

Wigan: S Tomkins; Charnley, J Tomkins, Carmont, Richards; Deacon, Finch; Lima, Leuluai, Coley, Farrell, Hoffman, O'Loughlin.

Replacements: McIlorum, Mossop, Hock, Cross.

Attendance: 11,729.

Referee: Ben Thaler (Wakefield).



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see also
Hull 22-38 Leeds
24 Jul 11 |  Rugby League
Warrington 24-44 Wigan
23 Jul 11 |  Rugby League
Wigan 14-12 Hull FC
13 Mar 11 |  My Club
Rugby League on the BBC
15 Oct 10 |  Rugby League
Rugby league commentaries
03 Apr 10 |  Rugby League


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