Match Report: Red Devils 4-35 Hull

Match Report: Red Devils 4-35 Hull

What happened in Hull’s Round 2 clash with Salford

Match Report News

Hull FC made it back-to-back wins at the start of the 2021 Betfred Super League season with a comprehensive 35-4 victory over Salford Red Devils.

Jake Connor pulled the strings at fullback, with Josh Reynolds impressing for a second consecutive week as the former New South Wales halfback helped himself to a brace.

Andre Savelio, Josh Griffin and Cameron Scott also crossed for Hull, with another dominant defensive display from the Black & Whites restricting the Red Devils to a solitary Ken Sio try.

Team News

Hull were forced into just one change from the squad that faced Huddersfield, with Brad Fash coming in on the bench to replace Josh Bowden, who failed a head injury assessment just six days ago.

The inclusion of Fash meant he made his 100th career appearance.

Salford coach Richard Marshall made a handful of changes to his side after Salford’s opening round defeat to St Helens, with Krisnan Inu, Pauli Pauli and Danny Addy all dropping out of the team.

Despite injury concerns over Lee Mossop and Dan Sarginson, the pair were both fit and started the game.

The Match

Despite suffering the heaviest defeat of all of the Round One fixtures last weekend, Salford showed their mettle in the opening 20 minutes and engaged in a gritty arm-wrestle with the Black & Whites.

But it was Brett Hodgson’s side who broke the deadlock after 20 minutes, Reynolds and Connor combining well and the latter fed Savelio on a short lead. Sneyd converted to make it 6-0.

That score seemed to take Hull up a gear, and more pressure from the Airlie Birds forced an ill-timed tackle from Ryan Lannon on Sneyd. The Salford forward was sent to the sin bin and Sneyd regained his composure to slot over the penalty goal.

Despite holding strong during Lannon’s 10-minute spell in the sin bin, it was shortly after his return to the action that Hull stretched their lead even further. Connor ruthlessly sliced through the Salford defence and showed class to offload to the supporting Reynolds on the inside. Sneyd’s conversion made it 14-0.

HALF-TIME: Red Devils 0-14 Hull

Hull were in no mood for waiting around at the start of the second half and capitalised on a Salford error inside their own 10 metre line. From the resulting set, a perfectly weighted kick from Sneyd wasn’t dealt with by Tui Lolohea, and Reynolds was johnny-on-the-spot to pounce on the error beneath the posts. Sneyd converted to make it 20-0.

In similar ruthless fashion, Hull added another four-pointer moments later. Adam Swift broke down the left flank and kicked ahead, with a fortunate bounce taking it into the grateful hands of Griffin, to score for a second consecutive week.

Salford posted their first points of the match on the 58th minute, with a quick shift play putting Sio over in the right corner.

Lolohea missed the conversion and Hull extended the lead by another two points soon later when Connor knocked over a penalty goal from in front of the sticks.

Connor capped an influential performance with a drop goal from 15 metres out with seven minutes remaining.

As the game was fizzling out, Hull rubber stamped the win with a great moment for Scott, who raced onto a pass out of dummy half from Joe Cator to fly over the whitewash. Connor tagged on the extras.

FULL-TIME: Red Devils 4-35 Hull

Squads & Scorers

Hull: Connor, Swift, Griffin, Tuimavave, Fonua, Reynolds, Sneyd, Satae, Houghton, Sao, Savelio, Ma’u, Lane

Hull Interchanges: Cator, Fash, Scott, Taylor

Hull Tries: Savelio, Reynolds (2), Griffin, Scott

Hull Goals: Sneyd (5/5), Connor (2/2) (DG)

Red Devils: Sarginson, Sio, Watkins, Kear, Williams, Lolohea, Brown, Mossop, Ackers, Ikahihifo, Livett, Lannon, Taylor

Red Devils Interchanges: Johnson, Ormondroyd, Patton, Wells

Red Devils Tries: Sio

Red Devils Goals: Lolohea (0/1)