Hull 26-23 Wakefield: Adam Swift’s 100th career try helps Hull to win

Former St Helens winger Adam Swift scored the 100th try of his career to put Hull on their way to a 26-23 victory over Wakefield in round 12 of the Betfred Super League behind closed doors at his old club.

Swift, a member of Saints’ 2014 Grand Final-winning team, added a second try in his 150th match and second-rower Jordan Lane also touched down twice as the Black and Whites held off a late fightback to present coach Andy Last with a second win in four matches.

They led 26-13 after 63 minutes but were left clinging on as Wakefield second-rower Kelepi Tanginoa went over for two tries in six minutes to set up a nerve-jangling finish.

Last made six changes to the side that lost to Warrington, partly with one eye on Sunday’s delayed Challenge Cup sixth round tie against Castleford, and he will be delighted to get the two points.

With nine players unavailable, Wakefield coach Chris Chester handed debuts to two teenagers, half-back Connor Bailey and prop forward Yusuf Aydin, and will be encouraged by the spirit shown by his side, although they are still looking for their first win since the resumption.

Trinity, who had winger Ben Jones-Bishop making his first appearance for almost 12 months after recovering from a blood clot on his lungs, made the brighter start, with full-back Max Jowitt forcing a goal-line drop-out with a delicate kick before making a hash of a final pass that might have got Jones-Bishop over for the first try.

Half-back Ryan Hampshire then fumbled the ball with the line open as Wakefield continued to create chances but Hull were more clinical and they opened up a 10-6 lead with two tries in eight minutes.

Full-back Conner Wynne, on his first appearance of the season, danced across the Wakefield line before getting Lane charging through a gap while Swift took Albert Kelly’s pass with seemingly no way to the corner but somehow managed to take three defenders over the line with him as he registered his landmark try.

Jowitt then took centre stage, forcing his way over from close range for his first try and supporting a break by the impressive Jones-Bishop for his second.

Hampshire added both goals to nudge his side in front but Swift regained the lead for Hull three minutes before the break when he took Andre Savelio’s pass and slid over the line.

Jake Connor was off target for the second time and Hampshire’s drop goal on the stroke of half-time meant just a point separated the teams but that was as good as it got for Trinity.

Savelio, playing with strapping to hold his broken nose in place, dropped on a loose ball over the line for Hull’s third try after 54 minutes and Last’s men also profited from the bounce of the ball on 63 minutes as Connor’s kick ricocheted off Lyne into the grateful arms of Lane.

Connor added both conversions to seemingly put the game safe but Hull were forced to sweat when the strong-running Tanginoa twice went through some tired defence, either side of Wyne being sin-binned for holding down in the tackle.