Both Hull FC and the Catalans Dragons had the benefit of a weekend off after securing victories in their opening fixtures of Super League 2017. FC made hard work out of their 12-8 win at Wakefield Trinity but the Dragons got off to a terrific start with a home win over Warrington Wolves.

FC were victorious in all three encounters between the two sides last season but were without the free scoring Albert Kelly who picked up a one game suspension in the opener. Iain Thornley was making his debut for the Dragons who were without Simon and Yaha.

The marketing team had been busy and there was a good crowd in the KCOM Stadium establishing a home attendance record for a Dragons fixture.

Despite having the lion share of position and possession it was the Dragons who went behind after a Marc Sneyd penalty on thirteen minutes. Luke Walsh levelled the scores on seventeen with a thirty metre penalty.

After a period of repeated penalties against both sides, the Dragons were put on a team warning and within seconds Greg Bird was sin-binned for interference at the play the ball. A minute later, on twenty-three, the Dragons got a penalty which Walsh kicked from thirty-five metres out.

Four minutes from the interval Hull went over for the first try of the game when Carlos Tuimavave took a superb Sika Manu backhanded pass to cross from five metres and improve the angle for a Sneyd conversion, in off the upright.

It had been a rough and tough half with FC carrying their 8-4 lead through to the interval.

Just forty-three seconds into the second half Richie Myler took a Thomas Bosc pass, after an initial Bird break, to canter twenty metres to score under the sticks. Walsh added the extra two points for 10-8 to the visitors.

When Hull moved off the mark on their own twenty, Walsh accepted the invite to kick the penalty from twenty metres for 12-8.

With the clock showing an hour, Liam Watts stole the ball from Krianan Inu and ran the five metres to the Dragons line to ground. Sneyd added the extras to edge his side into the lead.

An Iain Thornley shoulder charge gave Walsh a simple penalty to again level the scores. Two minutes later, on sixty-six Liam Watts was sin-binned and Walsh kicked the resulting penalty to re-establish the Dragons lead.

A frenetic last quarter of an hour was filled with mistakes, big hits and aggressive defence. It was a bad tempered and clumsy affair with neither side offering a great deal in attack but plenty in defence. Probably a game best forgotten by both sides.

It's two from two for the Dragons and so far this season they are looking a far better prospect that the side that crashed and burnt so badly at the end of 2016.

FC: Shaul, Fonua, Tuimavave (T), Griffin, Talanoa, Connor, Sneyd (3G), Taylor, Houghton, Watts (T, SB), Manu, Minichiello, Ellis. Subs: Green, Bowden, Washbrook, Johnson.

Dragons: Bosc, Broughton, Inu, Wiliame, Thornley, Walsh (6G), Myler (T), Moa, Aiton, Casty, Garcia, Horo, Bird (SB). Subs: Bosquet, Baitieri, Anderson, Da Costa.

Referee: Robert Hicks.

Half-Time: 8-4.

Full-Time: 14-16.

Attendance: 13,544.