WARRINGTON Wolves’ Chris Hill was at the heart of a lionhearted England defensive showing in a Test match dominated by rearguard action rather than creative flair.

He led the way as the second Test’s top tackler with 25 efforts by the 28th-minute mark of a physical opening half that brought no tries but no shortage of entertaining and uncompromising play.

Hill had taken his count to 40, again leading the way, by the 75th minute mark of a game that was only settled by Jordan Kahu’s drop goal in the 77th minute at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park Stadium in wet London.

England opened the scoring through the boot of Gareth Widdop after eight minutes, punishing Sam Moa for the penalty he conceded for holding on in a tackle.

Hill produced a crucial try-saving tackle on stand off Peta Hiku in the 11th minute as the Kiwis looked to respond, which they did soon after with an Issac Luke equalising penalty from close to the sticks.

The Wolves man was in the right place again to help George Williams prevent Kahu from burrowing over from close range after 19 minutes as the Kiwis applied pressure and benefited from the majority of the territory and possession.

Hill and front-row colleague James Graham took a well-earned breather after 24 minutes and Warringtonian Mike Cooper, with his right knee strapped up, joined Tom Burgess and Brett Ferres in taking over the mighty challenge up front.

After a penalty for Ryan Hall being held down, hole-punching drives by Cooper and Tom Burgess set up England’s first threatening attack of the second quarter but a Widdop kick was cleaned up by the Kiwis.

A short dabbed kick over the try line from dummy half by James Roby forced the Kiwis to drop out as England started to enjoy putting New Zealand under the cosh, but a forward pass from Widdop to Ferres saw the next set end fruitless.

The Kiwis turned the tide and it took a last-ditch tackle from Liam Farrell to prevent Kevin Proctor galloping over in the 37th minute, with former Latchford Albion junior Kallum Watkins alert to snuff out more danger on the next tackle.

Shaun Kenny-Dowall finally brought the game’s first try for the Kiwis, finishing off wide out as a reward for his teammates keeping the ball alive on the last tackle. Kahu goaled from the touchline for an 8-2 lead after 43 minutes.

England won possession from the re-start and their approach work got them to the Kiwis line but failed to trouble New Zealand with forward-orientated attacking play.

Cooper’s strong stint ended in the 53rd minute, with Hill returning.

Widdop came to the rescue to scramble the ball dead as Hiku attempted to pounce on his own grubber kick, an opportunity created by some skilful Kiwi offloading.

As England lived dangerously, Hiku lost the ball going over the line as Ferres man-handled him to great effect.

An awful pass from dummy half by George Williams was dropped by Ryan Hall in the 68th minute and England were then faced with defending deep inside their own half.

And when Elliott Whitehead was penalised for lying on in the tackle, Luke struck his short-range penalty attempt wide to keep the home nation’s hopes alive.

A New Zealand knock-on lifted the crowd and England, who were taken to the Kiwis try line by a power blast from Hill but then Graham failed to get his hands on the ball as he pounced on a grubber over the line by Josh Hodgson.

Then there was drama at the other end as Kodi Nikorima, on his Test debut, lost the ball in a tackle from Whitehead as he dived over the line.

But Kahu’s late drop goal provided a seven-point cushion that tied the series 1-1 going into next Saturday’s decider at the DW Stadium in Wigan.