Jamie Rooney's failed conversion attempt ensured Hull ended a traumatic week on a relative high courtesy of a vital engage Super League win over Wakefield at Belle Vue on Saturday evening.

The last seven days have seen the Black and Whites lose their talisman Paul Cooke to bitter rivals Hull KR in controversial circumstances.

This three-try success ensures that they can head into their clash with their former employee at next weekend's Millennium Magic on the back of some positive headlines.

However had Rooney not failed with three of his four conversion attempts, most notably from Ryan Atkins' 77th-minute try, then the outcome would have been somewhat different.

Despite handing 21-year-old Anthony Thackeray a debut as Cooke's immediate replacement, coach Peter Sharp has announced his intentions to recruit a world class replacement for the stand-off.

Short of creating Shaun Briscoe's first-half try, Thackeray did little to suggest any sort of staying power, although in fairness to him, Hull's last play decisions all game were very poor and highlights how much they have to do.

As an alternative to creativity, their victory was secured on the back of a tremendous performance in defence, most notably from hooker Richard Swain, who in the absence of injured scrum-half Richard Horne stands alone as the experience in Hull's engine room.

Despite the loss, Wakefield will remain buoyant as a result of coach John Kear's announcement before the game that he has extended his stay with the club until the end of the 2009 season.

Danny Washbrook who partnered Thackeray in the halves spilt Rooney's grubber kick to allow Ben Jeffries to open the scoring in the eighth minute, with the latter feeding Jason Golden for a second after Shayne McMenemy had levelled matters and Briscoe edged Hull in front.

McMenemy dislocated a shoulder in the process and his withdrawal forced Hull into an unorthodox rotation policy, with several players ending the tie out of position. The injury was a further blow to McMenemy who has missed the last month with a rib problem.

Thackeray's neat work in side-stepping Ricky Bibey then allowed Briscoe in under the posts, with Danny Tickle adding the extras, followed by Golden's try from close-range. Hull led 14-10 at the interval thanks to a Tickle penalty.

A further two points followed shortly after the restart, only for Wakefield to soon claw themselves back courtesy of Atkins' first try.

Ned Catic stretched Hull's defence wide, before Tevita Leo-Latu fed Atkins - who crossed in the corner. Rooney again failed with the goal, this time from the touchline.

With both sides struggling for invention, the game quickly became error-strewn, before Kirk Yeaman eased the pressure for the visitors with a well worked try, with Tickle missing his first goal of the piece.

A knock-on over the line prevented Thackeray from posting a debut try, before Tickle wasted a golden opportunity to add a drop goal, dragging his effort wide.

Tickle could have regretted his miss even more too, when Atkins crossed for a second, only to see Rooney's touchline effort fail to reach its mark.