Hull FC secured top spot in First Utility Super League's regular season with a 28-20 win at Salford Red Devils.
Knowing victory would mean leading the pack into the Super 8s, Lee Radford's side were made to work hard at the AJ Bell Stadium.
Stephen Michaels gave Hull an early lead but, in what was to prove a theme throughout the night, Salford responded through Michael Dobson.
Frank Pritchard crossed to give Hull a half-time lead, although Mason Caton-Brown pegged them back after the interval.
That feeling when you're top of the league after 23 rounds! 👏🎉 pic.twitter.com/SVQeOh5by0
— Hull FC (@hullfcofficial) July 22, 2016
Chris Green extended the visitors' advantage, only for a Dobson break to finish with Niall Evalds going over to narrow the lead to two points.
Robert Lui's try put Salford ahead for the first time after 69 minutes.
However, Marc Sneyd danced through three minutes later and Mahe Fonua went over three minutes from time to start the Hull celebrations.
Hull coach Radford praised second rower Sika Manu after his side clinched top spot.
"Sika has been our best player on the field recently and was again tonight,” he said.
"Curtis Naughton was also fantastic at full-back and Kirk Yeaman was outstanding.
"Curtis returned the ball with some juice from full-back and found some important plays.
"Salford are a very good side and I was not surprised by their performance.
Regular season 📈✅ pic.twitter.com/0RRregi25b
— Hull FC (@hullfcofficial) July 22, 2016
"There was little in it and when they went ahead the stadium lifted and they had some wind in their sails.
"I'm really pleased to finish top but all the fun and games start now."
Red Devils coach Ian Watson added: "I thought we were a bit unlucky and we came up against some tough decisions.
"We can be a bit smarter in certain areas but we are looking forward to the middle eights and we have to remain positive.
"We have proved we can consistently perform but must not take our eye off the ball.
"A couple of our guys were off a bit tonight but Hull are a team who can wear sides down but our effort was excellent."
Player | T | TA | TK | MT | MI | TB | AT | C | M | AG | CB | DR | E | FT | G | MG | OF | P |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Michael Dobson | 1 | 0 | 24 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 14 | 114 | 8.14 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Robert Lui | 1 | 0 | 15 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 11 | 68 | 6.18 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
Niall Evalds | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 14 | 94 | 6.71 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Mason Caton-Brown | 1 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 16 | 134 | 8.38 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Sean Kenny | 0 | 0 | 12 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 17 | 5.67 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Olsi Krasniqi | 0 | 0 | 21 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 50 | 8.33 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Adam Walne | 0 | 0 | 19 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 21 | 4.20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Weller Hauraki | 0 | 0 | 28 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 47 | 5.22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Mark Flanagan | 0 | 0 | 22 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 18 | 4.50 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Joshua Jones | 0 | 0 | 27 | 4 | 2 | 15 | 0 | 14 | 115 | 8.21 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
Ben Murdoch-Masila | 0 | 0 | 25 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 85 | 7.73 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
George Griffin | 0 | 0 | 27 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 81 | 6.75 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
Logan Tomkins | 0 | 0 | 33 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 2.67 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Craig Kopczak | 0 | 0 | 28 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 90 | 7.50 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Josh Griffin | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 16 | 144 | 9.00 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
Junior Sau | 0 | 0 | 18 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 70 | 5.38 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
Gareth O'Brien | 0 | 2 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 32 | 4.00 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
Player | T | TA | TK | MT | MI | TB | AT | C | M | AG | CB | DR | E | FT | G | MG | OF | P |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mahe Fonua | 1 | 1 | 19 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 13 | 118 | 9.08 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
Steven Michaels | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 106 | 13.25 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Marc Sneyd | 1 | 1 | 12 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 10 | 66 | 6.60 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Chris Green | 1 | 0 | 17 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 74 | 7.40 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Frank Pritchard | 1 | 0 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 95 | 8.64 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Kirk Yeaman | 0 | 0 | 15 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 13 | 102 | 7.85 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Curtis Naughton | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 8 | 129 | 16.13 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Fetuli Talanoa | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 13 | 93 | 7.15 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Jordan Abdull | 0 | 0 | 24 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 47 | 4.70 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Scott Taylor | 0 | 0 | 15 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 103 | 8.58 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Danny Houghton | 0 | 1 | 37 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 51 | 7.29 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Liam Watts | 0 | 0 | 13 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 23 | 4.60 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Sika Manu | 0 | 0 | 33 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 12 | 95 | 7.92 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
Mark Minichiello | 0 | 0 | 24 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 50 | 5.00 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Gareth Ellis | 0 | 1 | 20 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 72 | 7.20 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Jordan Thompson | 0 | 0 | 16 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 65 | 5.91 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Danny Washbrook | 0 | 0 | 14 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 28 | 4.67 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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