Hull FC 2-24 Catalans Dragons: Danny Houghton ends Super League career with defeat
Chris Satae, Matthieu Laguerre, Arthur Mourgue and Tom Davies scored tries as Catalans Dragons defeat Hull FC in final round of Super League season; Hull's Danny Houghton sees career with Black and Whites end with loss; Houghton made his 451st and final appearance 18 years after debut
Last Updated: 22/09/24 8:13am
Danny Houghton's final appearance for Hull FC ended in defeat as Catalans Dragons rounded off the Betfred Super League regular season with a comfortable 24-4 win at the MKM Stadium.
The Hull hooker, twice a Challenge Cup winner with his hometown club, made his 451st and final appearance for the Black and Whites after 18 years playing for the first team.
In a scrappy first half Hull went ahead through Lewis Martin, but a Chris Satae try and Arthur Morgue's conversion gave the visitors a narrow lead.
Tries by Matthieu Laguerre and Morgue, who also kicked a long-range penalty, and a late Tom Davies score wrapped it up.
Morgue also kicked three conversions as the Dragons ended the campaign outside the play-offs and Hull limped to a second-bottom finish in the table.
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A knock-on by Sam Tomkins challenging for a high Callum Kemp kick gave Hull great field position after four minutes and Herman Ese'ese nearly burst through before Houghton was stopped just short of the line.
The home side were ahead shortly after when a Kemp kick was caught by Martin who outjumped Davies to touch down.
Martin helped Hull burst out as he raced to halfway after Davies could not get to a pass behind him from Alrix Da Costa close to the home side's line.
Catalans were rattled and shortly after Tomkins conceded another goal-line dropout, Hull thought they had try number two through Houghton.
When a kick by Morgan Smith was knocked down into his path, the hooker held off a defender and crossed but it was disallowed for an infringement in the build-up.
Catalans were under pressure and a second dropout by the visitors saw the home side work the ball right but Jed Cartwright's pass out of the back of his hand went into touch.
Both sides coughed up possession as the half drew towards a close before former Hull man Satae forced his way over. Morgue's conversion put the Dragons 6-4 ahead at the break.
Catalans stretched their lead three minutes into the second half when Laguerre stretched over the line to score their second try.
Julian Bousquet was held up over the line as Catalans pushed for a third which was followed by a period of pressure on the visitors' line.
Tariq Sims was lucky to escape even a yellow card for his late hit as Kemp kicked from his hands.
Morgue kicked a long-range penalty with a little over a quarter of the game left to put his side 12-4 in front.
Morgue increased the advantage further as he took Tomkins' pass to cross and his simple conversion meant the Dragons were fully in control, before Davies added a late try in the corner.
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