Tickle has the last laugh

Hull completed an incredible comeback after Danny Tickle's 78th-minute drop goal earned a 27-26 victory over St Helens.

Saints had led 26-6 with just half an hour of the contest left and looked set to complete a routine victory at the KC Stadium.

But the Airlie Birds flew towards the finish line with 20 unanswered points, before boyhood St Helens fan Tickle knocked over the winning kick from 30 metres out.

A third straight victory moved Hull to within two points of the Saints, as they consolidated their fourth place in the engage Super League table.

Hull started well and it was of little surprise when they opened the scoring after 10 minutes.

Tom Briscoe had already been dumped into touch by Jonny Lomax as he looked set to score, before the Hull man showed good strength to drive his way over after Willie Manu's superb offload.

But St Helens were not to concede again for nearly an hour and levelled things up five minutes later as Meli, back after a three-game absence, leapt above Richard Whiting to take in Scott Moore's kick.

James Roby would have added another try moments later had his jinking run not ended with him colliding with a post, before Meli took in another ball from Moore, this time a pass, to give his side a 20th-minute lead.

Momentum

Hull had no answer to Saints' momentum and veteran hooker Keiron Cunningham took full advantage as he bounced over the line following a 15-metre run.

Saints went in again two minutes before the half-time hooter as Meli took advantage of a six-on-one overlap to complete his third Super League hat-trick.

His first four-try salvo came shortly after the restart as he made light work of Jordan Tansey and Danny Washbrook's attempted tackles, before Jordan Turner gave Hull some faint hope of a comeback with 32 minutes left when he stepped his way in.

With England hooker Roby leaving the field after a heavy collision, Hull turned hope into a reality as Danny Houghton pounced on a loose ball after Long's kick, to slip in under the posts and bring his side back to within eight points.

It was now the Saints' turn to be panicked and Willie Manu brought Hull even closer with a close-range score following Houghton's pass - although Tickle was unable to convert on this occasion.

Pounced

Tickle quickly redeemed himself, though, as he pounced on another Meli handling error from another long kick to score in the corner, but another failed conversion left the scores tied at 26-apiece.

Long was the first Hull man to try for the one-pointer but his attempt dropped just short. So it was left to Tickle to complete a golden night for the Black and Whites.