Jake Arthur Drop Goal Lifts Hull FC Past Catalans 27-26

Jake Arthur kicked a drop goal in the final five minutes to give Hull FC a 27-26 Super League victory over Catalans Dragons at Stade Gilbert Brutus. Hull recovered after surrendering an early lead, securing only their second win across their past 10 league matches.

Watch the highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IB03drWUmzc

BBC Sport reported that Hull made a fast start through tries by Logan Moy and Lewis Martin. Moy crossed in the third minute after James Bell moved the ball to him, while Martin scored in the 13th after Ethan O'Neill kept Arthur's kick alive and Arthur Romano supplied the final pass. Aidan Sezer converted both tries and later added two penalties.

Catalans responded through Charlie Staines in the 18th minute, before Kruise Leeming scored from Toby Sexton's pass to reduce Hull's halftime advantage to 14-12. The French side went ahead in the 46th minute when Leeming used the outside of his boot to create a try for Edenn Rogers-Smith.

Guillermo Aispuro-Bichet extended the lead with a penalty, and Leo Darrelatour then finished in the right corner after controlling a low pass. Those scores put Catalans in command, but Hull prop Harvie Hill changed the momentum with a solo try in the 63rd minute.

Five minutes later, Sezer scored Hull's fourth try and converted it himself to make the score 26-26. That set the stage for Arthur, who supplied the decisive one-point kick late in the contest. Sezer finished with five successful goals, while Aispuro-Bichet also kicked five for Catalans.

The match was Hull's first against former head coach John Cartwright since his move to Catalans. Hull interim coach Andy Last told Sky Sports that he was proud of the players' response after they fell behind, highlighting the effort required to regain control and Arthur's composure in the decisive moment. The comeback delivered a narrow away win after Catalans had scored four tries through Staines, Leeming, Rogers-Smith and Darrelatour. The win was decided by the only drop goal of the match.