Salford 20 Hull 24: Raynor keeps Hull run alive
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A freak late try took Hull's winning run to 12 games, although none of those victories have owed quite as much to good fortune as this one.
Salford had led from the first minute to the 79th when Richard Horne hoisted a high kick, Sid Domic got underneath it and knocked the ball back, it flew off Shayne McMenemy's head and Gareth Raynor touched down, although in a very unconvincing manner.
The video referee, Steve Presley, studied the footage several times before awarding the try, leaving the Salford coach, Karl Harrison, incandescent. "It was blatantly not a try," he said. "That's four times this year we have been screwed by the video referee and I'm sick to death of it. They're amateurs playing with people's livelihoods."
Hull's Peter Sharp did not dispute suggestions that this was his side's great escape. "But that's probably a sign of a pretty good side as well as of a winning habit," he said.
It took Salford 16 seconds to score. Straight from Paul Cooke's kick-off Luke Robinson threw a pass to John Wilshere, who found Aaron Moule in support to score from 40 metres. It was not the quickest try in Super League history, but it was not far off.
Still inside the first four minutes, Robinson ran at a leaden-footed defence and David Hodgson was on his shoulder to celebrate his call-up for the Great Britain squad this week with a try against his hometown club.
Hull conceded a couple of ill-disciplined penalties for Stephen Myler to add to his two conversions, and Salford were 16 points up inside 15 minutes.
They could not sustain that tempo, and Hull got a foothold in the game when Graeme Horne went on a curving run to squeeze in at the corner. Motu Tony then rolled and wrestled his way over two minutes into the second half, another try that rested on a contentious video ruling.
A string of mistakes prevented Hull from developing any momentum, however, and one led to the third Salford try, Andy Coley sending in Wilshere.
Myler then kicked straight into touch to give Hull an opportunity, Richard Horne stepping off his right foot for a try that made him Super League's new record-holder with scores in 10 consecutive games. That gave Hull their chance to salvage the game and, in the most controversial of circumstances, they did so.
Salford: Hodgson; Langi, Littler, Moule, Wilshere; Myler, Robinson; Lima, Alker, Rutgerson, Coley, Sibbit, Charles. Substitutes used: Williams, Highton, Haggerty, Adamson.
Hull: Tony; Blacklock, Whiting, Domic, Raynor; Cooke, R Horne; Dowes, Swain, Carvell, Radford, McMenemy, Chester. Substitutes used: Briscoe, G Horne, Wheeldon, King.
Referee: S Ganson (St Helens).
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments