Hull 62 - 8 Cleckheaton

This sort of result almost always sounds alarm bells. A few days later when the pain has subsided and the context of the situation has been assessed, reality dawns. Yes Hull played well, especially in the second half, yes Cleckheaton became dispirited for the last half hour and yes specific areas of weakness must be addressed. However, the omens were not good when skipper Craig Rika was unavoidably detained at work just prior to kick off, Waisale Sovatabua was taken off after just 23 minutes with a neck injury and Cleck picked up the usual two yellow cards both of which resulted in opposition scores. October 4th 2008 was just not their day.

The first half was hard fought and with the score at the break 12-8 in Hull's favour, Cleck had everything to play for. The cold and blustery conditions tended to dominate the early play and it wasn't until the 21st minute that Ross Hayden opened the scoring with a penalty for Cleckheaton. Two minutes later the Hull backs showed their cutting edge when winger Adrian Wadworth went over for a try, fly half James Cameron missing the conversion. The home side extended their lead on the half hour mark with a penalty try following good work by skipper Chris Murphy. James Cameron successfully converted. Cleckheaton hit back prior to half time with a good try by hooker Boshoff Muller. Hayden missed the conversion but as the break approached Cleck's poor discipline once more depleted their ranks when Matthew Piper was sin-binned following a flare up.

The first half action gave no indication of what was to follow in the second. Within five minutes the scoring barrage began. Full back Mike Wood ghosted through a hesitant back line to score a try which Cameron converted. A further seven unanswered tries, five of which were converted inflicted Cleck's second worst ever league defeat on the dispirited team.

Hull were a class above anything Cleck have met this season. After threatening for a number of years they now have an irresistible blend of ex-professionals, overseas imports and very capable local products and they must be odds on favourites for the league title after this, their third sixty point victory in four games. At the helm is former Bradford Bulls legend Tevita Vaikona who managed to score a try himself whilst appearing to lift the players around him to greater skill levels.

In chasing the game, Cleck made things worse with loose play gifting several tries which on a normal day would not have happened. A second yellow card, this time for Joe South resulted in three tries being scored when Cleck were once more down to 14 men. The yellow card 'problem' is becoming an epidemic. The stark fact is that Cleckheaton have not yet played a full eighty minutes with 15 men. Referees are not always wrong!

The next four matches-Middlesbrough on Saturday at Moorend, Stockport, West Hartlepool and West Park St Helens are all games against sides at the middle to lower end of the table. A chance to regain confidence, to play to a game plan and to win.