Stockport secure the double against Hull with 29-24 victory

Stockport turned in a great first half performance to secure the double against Hull. Scoring 4 tries to gain a bonus point and a 29 point haul after only 30 minutes. Despite the Hull pack dominating the set scrum Stockport played a mobile open game in the first 40 minutes and the Hull team were unable to respond apart from one try. The second half was marked by the power of the Hull scrum but their backs were unable to take any real advantage as the Stockport defence kept them tied up. Despite losing the set piece the Stockport forwards competed well in the loose and had periods of good driving play but they were unable to add to their 29 points. Hull completed their scoring with a last minute penalty to secure a losing bonus point.

Stockport made a positive start with the ball being run wide to the right from a line out and full back Ashley Platt-Hughes came into the line to score a try which he converted with only 3 minutes on the clock. Some really good driving play by the Stockport forwards gave Simon Green the opportunity to dive over the top of a ruck to score for a 12 point lead on 7 minutes. Hull secured the kick off and attacked the Stockport line, winning a penalty and opting for a scrum. The power of their set piece showed as they drove towards the line and the No.8 picked up to give the scrum half an easy run in to secure Hull’s only points of the half. Stockport continued to put on the pressure and the Hull fly half was yellow carded for preventing release at a ruck under their posts. Platt-Hughes converted for 15-5. Centre Mike Kaciubskyj picked up a loose ball and made ground before passing to Lewis Bowman, the wing broke clear and ran deep into the Hull half and gave a well timed pass to scrum half Sean Street, who was in support and touched down under the posts, Platt Hughes was on target again to make it 22-5. The bonus point try came on 30 minutes, Sean Street went left from a scrum on half way and via Jonny Edwards, Scott Redfern and Kaciubskyj the ball went to Myles Hall, the wing squeezed through a very narrow channel near the touchline, beat the tacklers and ran in to give a scoring pass to Redfern. Platt-Hughes added his third conversion and it was 29-5. Hull finished the half on attack but the Stockport defence held firm and won a penalty to conclude the half.

The visitors scrum proved dominant in the set and the second half started with a penalty against Stockport on their 10m line, the Hull No. 10 converted. They kept the pressure on with a series of scrum choices near Stockport’s line, despite the Hull effort Stockport held out but eventually the pressure told and a try was scored on the blindside as they ran out of tacklers. There was no conversion but Hull were right back in the game at 29-13. With the strong wind against them Stockport were finding it hard to get play into the Hull half. Another penalty at the scrum gave Hull a further 3 points before Stockport took a positive approach with good recycling and driving by the forwards but there were errors which prevented the momentum being maintained. A knock on on the half way line gave Hull a chance to mount another attack and after many phases the Hull wing just squeezed in at the corner, with no conversion the final few minutes were nervy for Stockport with the score at 29-21 but they held on until Hull opted to kick for a losing bonus point with the last kick of the game for 29-24. So Stockport go into the Christmas break on the back of two wins in a row and 12 points from 3 games. This is encouraging as we look forward to meeting Rossendale away on 9 January.