Super League: Huddersfield Giants come from behind to beat Hull FC
Last Updated: 07/09/14 6:44pm
Forward Brett Ferres scored the try that broke Hull as the Huddersfield Giants extended their unbeaten run in the First Utility Super League to six matches with a thrilling 38-28 comeback win.
Ferres dived over in the left corner in a spell of three tries in eight second-half minutes that turned the game on its head and ultimately secured the hosts victory.
Hull led 18-4 inside half an hour but Jodie Broughton cut the arrears to 22-20 with a converted score in the 54th minute. Ferres put Huddersfield in front for the first time and they never looked back as their quest for a top-four finish received a further boost.
Prop Anthony Mullally and in-form Jermaine McGillvary, who has now scored eight tries in his last six outings, added gloss to the score.
Visitors Hull, gunning for a third win in four matches, seemed on course to do the double over Huddersfield following a 30-6 win at the KC Stadium in April.
Australian stand-off Jordan Rankin twice did the damage with kicks that caught the Huddersfield defence napping. His high kick into the right corner in the seventh minute was dropped and Danny Houghton pounced to race over the line.
Rankin also delivered a defence-splitting kick in the 27th minute timed perfectly for Jamie Shaul's diagonal run.
Happy swansong
In between, Houghton set up Aaron Heremaia for a try to ensure a happy swansong in his last away match for Hull before moving to Widnes next season.
Rankin converted all three tries and kicked high again in the 44th minute only for Fetuli Talanoa to drop the ball on the line. Huddersfield got off the mark in the 12th minute after controversy when a McGillvary solo try was ruled out.
The flying winger barged past several Hull players to the line and kept going despite a tackle that brought him down.
Referee Phil Bentham ruled the try out, though from the restart Shaun Lunt put in academy product Jake Connor for a touchdown.
Connor, an England youth international, then doubled up after a neat exchange of passes with Craig Kopzcak before half-time. Substitute David Faiumu kept Huddersfield in touch, though the usually reliable Danny Brough had an off-day with the boot.
When Jordan Thompson dived over to make it 22-14 to Hull in the 50th minute an away win looked likely. But three tries in eight minutes turned the game and even though Gareth Ellis scored for Hull after that, Huddersfield still had the last word.
Broughton went over in the left corner on the final hooter to confirm an entertaining comeback victory in front of 6,370 fans.