Betfred Super League

Hull FC (10) 16

Tries: Martin, Barron, Cartwright Goals: Hardaker 2

Wigan (4) 20

Tries: Eckersley, Hodkinson, Keighran, Smith Goals: Keighran 2

Wigan Warriors moved up to third in Super League as they came back to edge past Hull in a hard-fought clash at the MKM Stadium.

Hull’s first-half tempo forced a string of errors from the Warriors as tries from Lewis Martin and Harvey Barron, either side of Zach Eckersley’s response, put the hosts 10-4 up at the break.

Jed Cartwright replied to Noah Hodkinson’s score to take Hull’s lead out to eight points, but Adam Keighran cut the gap to two to tee up a tense final quarter.

Keighran then booted Wigan level at 16-all as Hull’s penalty count mounted before Harry Smith crossed late on for the winning score.

The result moved Matt Peet’s side within four points of table-topping Leeds Rhinos, while an 11th defeat of the season kept the Black and Whites in 10th.

Hull kicked off on a run of five defeats in six matches, while Wigan were seeking a sixth win in seven, but the form table counted for nothing in a first half as the below-par Warriors toiled against fired-up opponents.

Aidan Sezer’s cut-out pass gave Martin space on the left flank to run in at the corner to put the Black and Whites in front within seven minutes.

Warriors lost both second row Liam Farrell and prop Luke Thompson to injury inside 15 minutes, setting the tone for the match as the visitors were forced into a series of reshuffles.

Yet they soon levelled with their first serious attack when Bevan French, on his first start since early March, zipped a pass to Eckersley who scored with an acrobatic one-handed finish.

Hull spurned several gifts, but finally accepted one to restore their lead as Patrick Mago’s sloppy pass handed them possession and Barron went in from close range.

The hosts came close to further tries through Tom Briscoe and Davy Litten, while Wigan had a score out of nothing from Smith ruled out by a tight forward pass call on Jai Field.

Concerns that Hull had let the Challenge Cup winners off the hook seemed to be proved correct when Hodkinson was allowed to run in untouched soon after the interval to pull Wigan back to 10-8.

But the errors and penalties continued to flow from both sides in a staccato second half, and Hull profited as Cartwright ran a super line to burst through three challenges and cross.

Trailing 16-8, French had a score ruled out when a review found Smith’s 40-20 attempt had gone into touch in the build-up.

But moments later the Australian stand-off was involved again, teeing up a slick try and goal from Keighran who then booted a penalty to make it 16-16 with 12 minutes left.

And the comeback was complete with less than eight minutes left when Smith feinted, skipped around a challenge and crossed to put Wigan ahead for the first time.

Hull FC interim head coach Andy Last told BBC Radio Humberside:

“I’m really disappointed with the result, but really proud of the effort.

“Wigan came into this game in red-hot form and we knew that we needed to be good to compete and I thought we were excellent.

“Getting that physical side right against a side like Wigan was so important and we did that.

“Just a little bit of quality was lacking in certain moments of the game, but to go toe-to-toe with them, we’ll take a lot of confidence from that.”

Wigan Warriors head coach Matt Peet:

“It was a very tough game. Hull made it a real challenge and I think we probably needed a game like that.

“We didn’t start the game in the right manner and they committed to it and put us in a tough spot, and the best teams are able to put it right.

“It was a bit of a perfect storm really and we managed to overcome it and that will stand us in good stead moving forward.”

Hull FC: Moy, Barron, Briscoe, Litten, Martin, Arthur, Sezer, Ese’ese, Bourouh, Hill, Batchelor, Hardaker, Salabio.

Interchanges: Cartwright, Laidlaw, Hutchinson, Mata’utia.

Wigan: Field, Eckersley, Keighran, Wardle, Hodkinson, French, Smith, Eseh, O’Neill, Thompson, Nsemba, Farrell, Partington.

Interchanges: Farrimond, Ellis, Mago, McDermott.

Referee: Liam Moore