THE boot of Danny Tickle handed Saints a 22-10 reverse as Hull FC came from behind to win at Langtree Park.
Saints looked set fair early in the second half as Tony Puletua twisted and turned to put them ahead.
But poor discipline handed Hull the impetus and they ran out deserved winners.
A tight tussle was tied 4-4 at half time after tries from Ade Gardner and Wade McKinnon.
Both sides were guilty of errors and poor handling but would have been happy with their defensive stints.
In the second half, Jordan Turner cancelled out Tony Puletua’s early try before Danny Tickle notched up three penalties in a row.
Wade McKinnon adding a late score to compound Saints misery – and their third defeat in a row.
Peter Gentle made one change from the team that beat Wakefield 14-10 last week with Richard Whiting coming off the bench in place of Martin Aspinwall.
For Saints, Paul Clough slotted in at loose forward with both Jamie Foster and Josh Perry recalled. Lance Hohaia replaced the injured James Roby.
Royce Simmons’ men were looking to avoid their third defeat in a row and would have been looking for the best possible start.
So to be on the back foot straight from the kick off wasn’t the ideal way to get the game underway.
Hull’s kick off bounced straight past Lee Gaskell and Tony Puletua for a drop out and then they won a repeat set.
But Saints quickly regained possession and then forced a one of their own.
Hull thought they’d scored when Kirk Yeaman squeezed through a gap and went down just before the line.
And his momentum seemingly took him over but the referee didn’t allow it.
After a real battle in midfield, it was Saints who took the lead first.
They pushed up the field and a sweeping move saw Ade Gardner cross for his 164th in the Red Vee right in the corner.
Foster pushing his conversion slightly wide.
But on 30 minutes Wade McKinnon got the better of Saints’ left hand side and levelled up.
Like Foster, Danny Tickle pushed his kick wide.
Saints delayed their entry to the second half to get us much out of the break as they could.
And it seemed to work as they defended well and then popped up with a big score from Tony Puletua.
Saints had a move planned out wide, but the big man was having none of it and twisted out of a tackle to plunge over.
Foster making it 10-4.
The home side could have stretched out further when Lee Gaskell improvised a kick to Michael Shenton causing the Hull defence to scramble.
But Saints lost the ball on their attack from the drop out; Paul Wellens unluckily not taking in a fine Josh Perry offload.
From there Jordan Turner picked up to race 80 yards after a couple of neat passes.
Tickle converted from out wide and then punished an indiscretion with a coolly taken penalty.
He notched up another with 10 minutes left.
Tickle then punished yet another Saints’ indiscretion and Wade McKinnon closed the deal with a scoot from close in after Saints were penalised once again.
Match Summary:
Saints:
Tries: Gardner, Puletua
Goals: Foster (1 for 2)
Hull FC:
Tries: McKinnon, Turner, McKinnon
Goals: Tickle (5 from 6)
Penalties:
Saints: 9
Hull FC: 9
HT: 4-4
FT: 10-22
REF: Ben Thaler
ATT: 14875
Teams:
Saints:
1. Paul Wellens; 2. Ade Gardner, 3. Michael Shenton, 5. Francis Meli, 22. Jamie Foster; 20. Lee Gaskell, 7. Jonny Lomax; 14. Anthony Laffranchi, 6. Lance Hohaia, 11. Tony Puletua, 12. Jon Wilkin, 4. Sia Soliola, 16. Paul Clough.
Subs: 8. Josh Perry, 10. Louie McCarthy Scarsbrook, 17. Gary Wheeler, 19. Andrew Dixon.
Hull FC:
1. Wade McKinnon; 2. Will Sharp, 3. Tony Martin, 4. Kirk Yeaman, 5. Tom Briscoe;
6. Richard Horne, 7. Brett Seymour; 8. Mark O’Meley, 9. Danny Houghton, 10. Andy Lynch, 11. Willie Manu, 12. Danny Tickle, 15. Richard Whiting.
Subs: 16. Eamon O’Carroll, 17. Sam Moa, 19. Jordan Turner, 20. Jamie Ellis.
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