Unbeaten Hull go top
Richard Horne touched down as Hull beat Huddersfield 24-20 to move to the top of the Super League table.
Last Updated: 07/03/09 11:04am
Hull moved clear at the top of the Super League after scoring a 24-20 victory over Huddersfield Giants at the Galpharm Stadium.
The Airlie Birds scored four tries as they maintained their 100 percent record, recording their fourth consecutive victory - the first time they have achieved such a feat in Super League.
Richard Agar's side dominated the first half and yet should really have gone into the interval more than eight points up - Tom Briscoe, Richard Horne and Jamie Thackray touching down for the visitors, while Brett Hodgson and Joe Walsh responded for the Giants.
The match was more even in the second half - Kevin Brown's try for the Giants matched by Kirk Yeaman - but Hull were fully deserving of their win.
Even so, Nathan Brown's side made the stronger start and took the lead after just two minutes, the home side handed ground when Mark Calderwood fumbled the ball into touch.
Briscoe failed to deal with Luke Robinson's high kick and Brett Hodgson pounced on the line to touch down.
He failed to convert, however, and Briscoe soon made up for his error, the 18 year-old touching down in the left-hand corner after Giants winger Martin Aspinwall knocked on deep in his own territory.
Magic
Hull had the lead after Danny Tickle converted and extended it in the 14th minute thanks to a piece of Horne magic - the resurgent stand-off receiving Willie Manu's flicked pass and embarking on a mazy run, fending off Brett Hodgson on his way to the line.
Tickle again found the target and the visitors continued to take the initiative - only the video referee denying Lee Radford in the 23rd minute, deciding he had knocked on before grounding the ball in the left-hand corner.
The porous Giants' defence had to scramble to hold Shaun Berrigan up moments later but on the back of two penalties, they finally managed to go forward with ball in hand shortly before the half-hour.
Walsh crossed after receiving a pass from Scott Moore and with Hodgson this time converting, Huddersfield were suddenly back in the match.
But it was all-too-brief a riposte as, after hesitation in the Giants' defence led to a goal-line drop-out, Thackray pounced on a loose ball following a cross-field kick and went on an angled run to the left-hand corner.
Tickle again converted but the half ended with the home side producing their most protracted period of pressure - two goal-line drop-outs being won, albeit with no reward.
Hull started the second half looking to impose themselves once more but it was Huddersfield who actually made it count - Brown receiving Brett Hodgson's deft inside pass to cross in the right-hand corner in the 45th minute.
The full-back missed the conversion, however, leaving the Giants four points in arrears, with a knock on from David Hodgson setting up Hull's fourth try in the 52nd minute.
In arrears
It was Yeaman who scored, the centre running on to Chris Thorman's chip through to touch down in the left-hand corner - Tickle, however, losing his 100 percent record.
Nevertheless, he kicked his side 10 points clear after Danny Kirmond conceded a penalty on the hour.
While Huddersfield had more to offer than they had in the opening 40 minutes, they were struggling to bridge the deficit in the face of a Hull defence that kept its shape well.
However, the latter was breached in the very last minute, David Hodgson touching down a consolation try, converted by Brett Hodgson.
