Leigh withstand Hull FC's second-half fightback

Betfred Super League

Hull FC (0) 22

Tries: Barron 2, Cust, Clark Goals: Hardaker 3

Leigh (28) 32

Tries: Charnley 2, Cook, Armstrong 2, Hanley Goals: Cook 4

Leigh Leopards weathered a second-half storm from a revitalised Hull FC to move back into the top six.

All-time Super League top try-scorer Josh Charnley opened the scoring and came up with a crucial second try with nine minutes left just as Andy Last's struggling side were threatening to overturn a 28-point half-time deficit.

Hull FC have now lost nine of their past 10 games to slump to second bottom of the table and their first-half display was dishevelled and disjointed as Charnley, Adam Cook, a double from David Armstrong and another try from Umyla Hanley put the visitors firmly in top.

But the Black and Whites lifted themselves in the second period as Harvey Barron scored twice and Cade Cust and Lennon Clark also went over.

Leigh's Owen Trout was sin-binned as the Leopards looked increasingly shaky, until Cook produced a 40-20 and then a brilliant pass to set up Charnley's second to settle matters.

The win, which is Leigh's 10th in their past 12 matches, takes them above both St Helens and Hull KR into the play-off places.

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Adrian Lam's team are one of the in-form outfits in the competition and they soon showed why as Charnley pounced on a loose ball to score and then Cook chased his own kick and made full use of a fortuitous bounce to add another and convert it himself.

Cook's penalty, two pacy finishes from Armstrong, and Hanley's burst through another gaping hole in the defence had Leigh comfortably ahead of scoreless Hull FC at half-time, and brought a smattering of boos from home fans in the MKM Stadium.

But the hosts responded well and gained a foothold as Barron finished a sweeping move, before Cust finished off excellent work by Aidan Sezer and 20-year-old Lennon Clark scored on his home debut to move his side within two scores of the visitors.

Leigh's nerves showed as Trout hauled back Cust as he was poised to take Sezer's pass and race for the line, with the Leopards man receiving a yellow card for the offence shortly after the hour mark.

Cook broke the spell with two pieces of magic, relieving the intense pressure with a superb 40-20 kick, and from the platform he created, he flung a brilliant pass over the top for Charnley to finish acrobatically and take his seasonal tally to 22.

Barron instantly replied with his second from Zak Hardaker's terrific high-ball gather and pass, but it was too late, with Hull FC's only consolation being that Leigh's win edges their local rivals Hull KR out of the top six.

Hull FC: Moy; Barron, Hardaker, Litten, Briscoe; Arthur, Sezer; Salabio, Bourouh, Hill, Batchelor, O'Neill, Bell

Interchanges: Aydin, Clark, Cust, Ese'ese

Leigh: O'Brien; Senior, Armstrong, Hanley, Charnley; Cook, Lam; Trout, Horne, Liu, Halton, Hughes, Brogan.

Interchanges: Davis, Vaalepu, Brown, Ipape.

Sin-bin: Trout (61)

Referee: Aaron Moore