Harvey Barron’s 90-metre interception try set up a dramatic comeback win for Hull FC at Huddersfield Giants.
The 21-year-old ended a dangerous Giants attack to grab Tui Lolohea’s pass and race to the other end, with Aidan Sezer converting and then adding a drop-goal to win it.
The home side seemed to be heading for their first win of the Super League season after tries from Jacob Gagai and Adam Swift saw them up at half-time after Lewis Martin had given the Black and Whites an early lead.
Giants seemed set to build on their lead but Hull dug in, defended well and struck in the final 15 minutes to make it two wins from three.
Both sides needed a win, with Hull having been brought back down to earth by their home thrashing by champions Wigan Warriors last week and Huddersfield having lost both of their opening games of the season.
The visitors drew first blood, with Sezer the architect of the try. The former Wests Tigers scrum-half put his team on the front foot with a 40-20, and as Hull pressed hard his floated pass found Martin on the left.
He seemed to lose control as he rolled over the line in a tackle and referee Tom Grant ruled ‘no try’ on the field, only for video referee Aaron Moore to decide Martin had retained fingertip control.
The home fans did not like the outcome but Giants hit back in some style. Sam Hewitt accelerated through a gap in the Hull defence and drew the cover before slipping the ball to Gagai, who duly delivered his first Super League try after his move from South Sydney.
Hull then lost John Asiata to the sin-bin and Giants took advantage as Lolohea’s sharp pass over the top found Swift and he produced an acrobatic finish in the corner against his former club.
Oliver Wilson fumbled the ball over the line after his dubious tackle had caused Sezer to spill the ball as Huddersfield sought to press home their superiority, but the game turned on two Lolohea errors.
The Tonga international had run the game, but when he tried a repeat of his first-half looping pass to Swift, Barron was lurking to grab the ball and race to the other end, making the conversion easy for Sezer.
With the scores tied, Lolohea went for a drop-goal but fluffed it under pressure and when Hull took play to the other end, Sezer made no mistake when handed a similar chance to win it.
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