HARLEQUINS DEFEAT 'FRAGILE' HULL
Two tries each for Tony Clubb and Chris Melling in an inspired second-half performance helped Harlequins come from 16-0 behind to win 36-26 over fellow Super League strugglers Hull. The visitors’ loose-forward, Richard Whiting – who later broke his leg – collected Adam Dykes’ bomb to open the scoring after two minutes. Another Dykes’ kick 20 minutes later, found Mike Burnett who shipped to Tommy Lee, who scored.
Danny Washbrook made it 16-0 to Hull after breezing through a sluggish Quins defence, while Todd Byrne missed his first goal. But the home team managed to pull a converted try back through 20-year-old bruising winger Clubb, just before the first hooter.
Coach Brian McDermott’s team talk once again did the trick, and woke Quins from their slumber. Only 30 seconds after the restart Melling intercepted a Hull pass and slipped in Julian Rinaldi. A converted try from Quins’ Michael Worrincy soon followed, while in reply Great Britain centre Kirk Yeomans spirited 60 yards to take Hull to 20-12.
Melling got himself on the scoresheet after good work from captain Scott Hill, and Quins took the lead for the first time. Clubb muscled over for his second try of the game with 20 minutes remaining, with Henry Paul failing to convert.
Hull winger Matt Sing caused Quins a nervous last five minutes, when he dropped on Whiting’s kick through. But when Melling clung on to Hill’s pass to complete the scoring, he ensured Quins won their first league game in four attempts.
“I thought we were poor, but as a team we turned it around in the second half,” Quins coach McDermott offered. “It was important to win.”
The visiting Hull coach, Peter Sharp, said: “I just think we are physically and mentally fragile. We are down on confidence and we have a lot of kids playing and some people are not getting the job done.”
Two tries each for Tony Clubb and Chris Melling in an inspired second-half performance helped Harlequins come from 16-0 behind to win 36-26 over fellow Super League strugglers Hull. The visitors’ loose-forward, Richard Whiting – who later broke his leg – collected Adam Dykes’ bomb to open the scoring after two minutes. Another Dykes’ kick 20 minutes later, found Mike Burnett who shipped to Tommy Lee, who scored.
Danny Washbrook made it 16-0 to Hull after breezing through a sluggish Quins defence, while Todd Byrne missed his first goal. But the home team managed to pull a converted try back through 20-year-old bruising winger Clubb, just before the first hooter.
Coach Brian McDermott’s team talk once again did the trick, and woke Quins from their slumber. Only 30 seconds after the restart Melling intercepted a Hull pass and slipped in Julian Rinaldi. A converted try from Quins’ Michael Worrincy soon followed, while in reply Great Britain centre Kirk Yeomans spirited 60 yards to take Hull to 20-12.
Melling got himself on the scoresheet after good work from captain Scott Hill, and Quins took the lead for the first time. Clubb muscled over for his second try of the game with 20 minutes remaining, with Henry Paul failing to convert.
Hull winger Matt Sing caused Quins a nervous last five minutes, when he dropped on Whiting’s kick through. But when Melling clung on to Hill’s pass to complete the scoring, he ensured Quins won their first league game in four attempts.
“I thought we were poor, but as a team we turned it around in the second half,” Quins coach McDermott offered. “It was important to win.”
The visiting Hull coach, Peter Sharp, said: “I just think we are physically and mentally fragile. We are down on confidence and we have a lot of kids playing and some people are not getting the job done.”
