The Black & Whites recorded their highest points tally in a league game for eight years as they demolished Leigh Centurions 64-22 at the Leigh Sports Village.
Hull sensationally scored twelve tries on a memorable afternoon in Greater Manchester, with Andre Savelio bagged a hat-trick for the first time in his career, with nine different players all registering tries for FC.
Adam Swift also bagged a brace to take him to joint second in the Betfred Super League try-scoring tally for 2021.
Team News
Injuries have quickly crept up on Hull, with the Black & Whites without as many as nine players for the trip to Leigh today.
Carlos Tuimavave (hamstring), Cameron Scott (shoulder) and Josh Bowden (foot) are the latest to succumb to the sidelines, as Connor Wynne came into the side as a centre.
Brett Hodgson also handed a Hull FC debut to Mitieli Vulikijapani, who started the match on the interchange bench.
Despite Adam Sidlow returning to Leigh’s 21-man squad this week, the former Toronto forward was not named in the matchday side to face the Airlie Birds.
The Match
It was an instant start for the visitors after Ben Reynolds dropped the kick off. It took just three plays for Connor to slice through with a dummy, poking his nose through a gap and sliding over the whitewash. Sneyd dragged the kick just wide.
Bell pulled Leigh level just four minutes later, after Hull were penalised for a high tackle on Joe Mellor. Liam Hood’s offload on the FC try line put it on a plate for the Kiwi loose forward and Brierley knocked over the conversion.
Hull had some defending to do after conceding three straight penalties, but their strength on their own try line was rewarded with a try at the other end of the field when Swift kicked through for himself to score in the corner. Sneyd missed from the touchline.
The visitors played with flair when in possession inside Leigh territory and Brett Hodgson’s side extended their lead deservedly after forcing a repeat set, with Ma’u bouncing over in the left corner. Sneyd missed the target once again.
Faraimo crossed in the right corner for his first try of the Super League campaign after some excellent catch-and-pass skill from Wynne. Sneyd couldn’t find the target from the touchline.
More ill-discipline cost the Centurions another try, scoring on the back of a penalty for a high tackle. This time it was Fonua too strong in the left corner after the visitors were outnumbered on the shortside. Sneyd’s first conversion of the afternoon made it 22-6.
Just when it appeared the visitors had dropped down a gear, an error from Mellor breathed life back into FC’s confidence. An offload from Jack Brown sent Swift on his way to score his second from 65 metres out. Sneyd converted from the wide angle.
Savelio added his name to the scoresheet two minutes from half-time, powering over the top of Matty Russell after a perfectly-weighted pass from Connor. Sneyd made it three conversions in a row as the hooter sounded.
HALF-TIME: Centurions 6-34 Hull
It took Hull just one minute to cross the Leigh whitewash again in the second half. Connor’s mercurial break was met by the inside support of Wynne, who scored under the sticks – his first try in Black & White since April 2019.
Reynolds pulled one back for the hosts after throwing a dummy and sliding over in the left corner. Brierley missed the conversion.
Hull scored their best try of the afternoon after Josh Reynolds made a break on halfway, and some silky passing skills saw the ball with the youngster Brown, who put his foot on the accelerator from ten metres out to crash over. Sneyd tagged on the extras.
Following a head knock to Connor, Swift deputised in his place at fullback and didn’t look out of place. It was his break that led to Savelio’s second try, with Hull reaping the rewards of a quick play-the-ball.
Brierley pulled another back for the Centurions after breaking through the defensive line on the last tackle and beating Swift for pace to the try line. He converted his own try.
Satae celebrated the news of his two-year contract extension with a try just after the hour mark following more dangerous play from the Black & Whites. Sneyd made it 58-16 with the kick.
Savelio made it a hat-trick of tries thanks to Connor’s soft hands with just over ten minutes left, only moments after the fullback returned from a head injury assessment. Sneyd seemed to have put his early kicking demons behind him as he notched his eighth straight conversion to make it 64-16.
Brierley dived onto a Mellor grubber kick with just under four minutes to play, with the former Hull KR and Huddersfield man scoring his 150th try for the Centurions. He converted his own try.
FULL-TIME: Centurions 22-64 Hull
Squads & Scorers
Hull: Connor, Faraimo, Fonua, Wynne, Swift, Reynolds, Sneyd, Satae, Houghton, Sao, Savelio, Ma’u, Lane
Hull Interchanges: Brown, Fash, Johnstone, Vulikijapani
Hull Tries: Connor, Swift (2), Ma’u, Faraimo, Fonua, Savelio (3), Wynne, Brown, Satae
Hull Goals: Sneyd (8/12)
Centurions: Brierley, Sa’u, Thornley, Hellewell, Mullen, Reynolds, Mellor, Mason, Hood, Ioane, McCarthy, Gee, Bell
Centurions Interchanges: Peats, Peteru, Russell, Wildie
Centurions Tries: Bell, Reynolds, Brierley (2)
Centurions Goals: Brierley (3/4)
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