Hull FC verdict: Lacklustre Black and Whites well beaten by Catalans Dragons

Hull FC produced an underwhelming and mistake-ridden performance at the Stade Gilbert Brutus as they were thumped 36-8 by Catalans Dragons.

Here’s the verdict.

The Black and Whites were always going to be challenged in the south of France as they took on a motivated Catalans Dragons outfit without their star man Jake Connor. His absence put pressure on the likes of Josh Reynolds and Luke Gale to step up and produce the creativity Brett Hodgson’s side needed in the Perpignan sunshine.

However, in the first half, neither Gale nor Reynolds were able to make a positive impact as the Dragons dominated. The French side, backed for a rowdy crowd, started well by playing at a tempo FC simply couldn’t match and, after threatening on a couple of occasions, they found the breakthrough.

Mike McMeeken was the man to touch down for the Dragons, powering through the sizeable gap between Luke Gale and Connor Wynne with ease, before touching down in front of the 1,000 or so Hull supporters.

The Black and Whites started to claw themselves back into the game and they would have looked capable of scoring if not for a number of errors. Jamie Shaul and Joe Lovodua spilled passes and FC gifted the Dragons the chance to get off their own line with lapses in discipline and concentration.

Sam Tomkins punished Hull from the boot by kicking a penalty and as the first half ticked away Steve McNamara’s side scored twice to establish the lead their dominance deserved. Fouad Yaha touched down in the corner, before Mickael Goudemand had the strength and power to slip through a gap and get over, despite the challenge of Josh Griffin.

The errors in possession continued from the Black and Whites in the second half, but it didn’t prevent them from