Rotherham Titans put in a tenacious performance to out-muscle a very good Hull side to run out narrow 20-15 winners on a bright, but windy afternoon at Clifton Lane.
Trailing 12-3 on the hour mark Titans looked to be in danger of losing their first game of the season, but a strong finish ensured they kept their unbeaten status intact.
Rotherham’s points came courtesy of a try each for Callum Bustin and Harry Newborn, with Lloyd Hayes adding 10 points with the boot with some outstanding kicking from the tee.
Indeed it was the home side that started brighter; their energy levels looked good and there was plenty of intensity about their work.
This early pressure resulted in Roth taking a seventh minute lead when fly half Lloyd Hayes knocked over penalty from in front of the posts at the clubhouse end.
Hull had come into the game as joint league leaders and with a reputation of being a tough, physical side and one which could boast of having the meanest defence in the division.
The game confirmed that reputation was deserved and rightfully earned. They matched the Titans physically and their work rate around the park was relentless.
Just after the 20-minute mark and with Hull’s first foray into Titans 22 they came away with a try through loosehead prop Loma Kivalu, who was helped over the line by a powerful pack following a series of pick and goes. Simon Humberstone missed the extras as the swirling wind picked up in severity.
Following a low-scoring first half, the second period saw more points scored, but without the drop in ferocity which had been so evident during the opening 40 minutes.
The visitors had impressed as expected and it was they who scored next on 48 minutes when a series of pick and goes close to the Titans line resulted in replacement prop Charlie Beech dotting down near the corner. This time Humberstone impressed with the extras to take his side 12-3 up.
Rotherham maintained their desire to get back into the game, but frustratingly for them a combination of unfortunate execution and valiant defending from Hull meant they were unable to narrow the gap.
Eventually however on the hour mark Roth finally received some reward for their graft. From a five metre line-out Titans pack drove towards the line for number 8 Callum Bustin to dot down and with Lloyd Hayes’ brilliant conversion from the touchline the game was now in the balance at 12-10 to Hull.
Hull hit back almost immediately to go further ahead at 15-10 with a penalty from Humberstone; this ensured the Shed’s nerves remained frayed and backsides stayed firmly perched on the edges of seats.
Ten minutes from time though Roth finally nosed ahead when a drive from the tail of a line out saw hooker Harry Newborn get the vital dot down next to the corner flag. Hayes once again impressed hugely to convert from touch to put his side 17-15 up.
Three minutes from time Humberstone missed an opportunity to allow Hull to regain the lead when he missed a long-range penalty kick, but with the last action of the match Lloyd Hayes sealed the win for Rotherham with a mid-range penalty to give his side a hard-fought, but well-deserved win.
Speaking on the pitch after the game Titans’ Steve Salvin said:
“To be honest I would have been satisfied even if we hadn’t got over the line, because there have been games this year where we have won, but we haven’t been “at it” and emotionally in the right frame of mind, and that’s all you can ever ask of anyone, you just want the lads to empty the tank.
“But don’t get me wrong, it’s amazing to win the game, but I honestly think if we hadn’t have won I would have gone home nearly as proud as I will tonight, because of the sheer effort and heart that I saw. I just said in the huddle that I never thought we were out of it because I knew we were in the right place emotionally.
“We had to adapt a little bit; I don’t think until just before we scored our first try that we had mauled all game; partly because we’d not had the opportunity and partly because we’d executed poorly, but ultimately that element of our game is what turned it – and for the boys to have been able to adapt and put that in place and put them under that level of pressure was just immense.
“Hull defended a lot and they defended well; they are by far the best defensive team in the league and that showed today.
“The tough thing when you have to defend phase after phase it batters your body and I’m not taking anything away from Hull because I have a huge amount of respect for them, but in the last 10 minutes or so I just felt they were done physically because of all the defending they’d done throughout. They never stopped trying but their tank was running close empty I felt.”
Referee: Llyr ApGeraint-Roberts
Attendance: 544
Yellow Card: None
Titans: Bustin (T), Newborn (T), Hayes (2P, 2C)
Hull: Kivalu (T), Beech (T), Humberstone (P, C)
Titans: 15 Tom Lewis, 14 Connor Field, 13 Mat Clark, 12 Harry Dunne, 11 George Tucker, 10 Lloyd Hayes, 9 Jonny West (Pocklington 47), 1 Charlie Capps, 2 Harry Newborn, 3 Rikki Stout (Quigley 63), 4 Matt Challinor, 5 Matt Smith, 6 Theo Nwosu-Hope (Payne 57), 7 Zak Poole (Capt.), 8 Callum Bustin (Nwosu-Hope 70).
Replacements: 16 Fran Entressengle, 17 Alastair Donkor, 18 Colin Quigley, 19 Marcus Payne, 20 Sam Pocklington.
Hull: 15 Stephen McColl, 14 Mike Adlard, 13 Alastair Heard (Capt.), 12 Stephen Johnson, 11 Keane Naylor, 10 Simon Humberstone, 9 Sam Crane, 1 Loma Kivalu, 2 Alistair Thomson, 3 Mike Jobling, 4 Cameron Curry, 5 Liam Regardsoe, 6 Latu Makaa'fi, 7 Laurence Cowen, 8 Will Hall.
Replacements: 16 Reece Dean, 17 Harvey Harding, 18 Ben Boothman, 19 Mike Dias, 20 Charlie Beech.
Photo courtesy of Gareth Lyons