There have been plenty of performances this season which have suggested that Hull FC are capable of their first Super League title but this one could be the biggest indicator yet, albeit for a very different reason.
At times this year Hull have been irresistible, dominating and looked every inch contenders for the finale at Old Trafford. Here, though, they were below their best by some distance, yet still found a way to see off Castleford and restore their two‑point lead at the top of the table heading into the Challenge Cup quarter-finals next weekend.
Errant goal-kicking – Castleford kicked only one from five while Marc Sneyd missed only one of his five – played a significant part in the outcome but Hull had to withstand plenty of late pressure from Castleford, who deserve considerable credit for playing their part in a thrilling game despite missing 11 first-team players due to injury.
“I’m disappointed really and not pleased with the performance again,” Lee Radford, the Hull coach, said. “But we halted Cas’s momentum a couple of times which we’ve not been able to do here in recent years.”
Hull had to fight back and led 18-8 at the break the hard way; they trailed 8-0 after tries from Luke Dorn and Jake Webster but three tries in 15 minutes from Frank Pritchard, Danny Houghton and Mahe Fonua – all of which Sneyd converted – put Hull in control.
However, when Paddy Flynn finished a fine Castleford handling move on 57 minutes and Denny Solomona followed suit three minutes later with a remarkable finish, Danny Tickle converted the latter to drag the injury-hit Tigers back level at 18-18. On the balance of play it was arguably the least they deserved.
Hull were reeling and offering little in attack but, as the game ticked into the final quarter, Radford sent for the veteran half‑back, Leon Pryce, from the bench to try to spark his side. It was an inspired decision, as within minutes the 34‑year‑old produced what Radford described afterwards as the match-winning play; Pryce stepped off his right foot and produced a superb offload for Jamie Shaul to race home, with Sneyd converting for 24-18.
Solomona produced another acrobatic finish to score his 24th try of the season with nine minutes remaining but, crucially, Tickle’s touchline conversion struck a post.
That was far from the end of the drama, though, as Hull were forced to defend with vigour and effort to keep the Tigers at bay and put a potentially fatal dent in their top-four hopes this year.
“You obviously don’t like losing games but I can’t fault the effort from them,” Daryl Powell, the Castleford coach, said.
Hull have established an unfortunate reputation in recent years as one of the game’s biggest underachievers – and this was undoubtedly a game they would have found a way to lose last year. In that regard the class of 2016 seem a very different bunch from their predecessors.
Castleford Dorn; Flynn, Crooks, Monaghan, Solomona; McShane, Millington; Tickle, Milner, Patrick, Moors, Webster, Massey. Interchange Holmes, Springer, Maher, Cook.
Tries Dorn, Webster, Flynn, Solomona 2. Goal Tickle.
Hull FC Shaul; Michaels, Fonua, Yeaman, Naughton; Tuimavave, Sneyd; Taylor, Houghton, Watts, Pritchard, Washbrook, Thompson. Interchange Hadley, Green, Pryce, Bowden.
Tries Pritchard, Houghton, Fonua, Shaul. Goals Sneyd 4.
Referee G Hewer (RFL). Att 10,790.
