A heavy 56-22 defeat to Huddersfield Giants saw them fall to their fifth defeat in a row on Saturday afternoon.
The visitors ran in ten tries and put Hull to the sword. A first-half hat-trick from Adam Swift and second-half double from Tui Lolohea inspired the Giants to victory.
Sutcliffe scored twice, and Brown and Pele added their names to the scoresheet but it wasn’t enough in a dismal display from the Black and Whites.
Team News
Tony Smith made three changes to the team that visited Hull KR last week.
Joe Cator and Matty Laidlaw returned to the team, both starting from the bench. Logan Moy made his debut for the Black and Whites, also starting on the bench.
Danny Houghton dropped out with a rib injury, while Jack Ashworth was unavailable with a thumb injury.
The Match
The visitors started the game quickly. A break down centre field put the Giants in good field position, before Jake Connor found Adam Swift on the last who scored in the corner. Connor then converted the try. Pele and Sutcliffe put huge shots in over the next few sets to nullify the attacking threat of Ian Watson’s side as Hull began to settle into the game.
FC had a chance of their own after eight minutes of play. Good passing play saw an overlap develop on the left hand side and Sutcliffe forced his way over for the try. Charles couldn’t convert from the touchline. The good response continued as Bibby was pressured into conceding a drop out on the next set, but nothing came from the opportunity.
However, Swift got his second of the afternoon after 14 minutes against the run of play, capitalising on an error and Connor converted. Murchie scored shortly after and Connor’s boot gave the Giants a 14 point lead after 20 minutes.
Hull FC replied with a classy try on their next set however. A perfect kick from Jack Charles was taken in by Liam Sutcliffe who fell over the line for his second of the afternoon, and Charles converted.
Huddersfield responded however, with back to back tries from Murchie and Swift. Connor converted the first of these tries. Yates added his name to the scoresheet five minutes later before Connor added the extras.
Things went bad to worse for Hull, as Jack Brown was sin binned for a dangerous tackle after 38 minutes. Naiqama capitalised on the resulting penalty and got the final try of the half and Connor converted again.
Half-Time: Hull FC 10-40 Huddersfield Giants
Huddersfield started the second-half brightly, with Jake Bibby getting over the try-line but video referee Chris Kendall ruled the try out. They did give away a penalty however, and Lewis Martin nearly made them pay, but was stopped a metre out. However, it didn’t take long for the Black and Whites to get over through Nu Brown, who dived over from dummy half. Charles converted.
Huddersfield responded quickly once again however with Tui Lolohea breaking through a gap and scoring in the corner and Jake Connor added the extras.
Hull forced a goal line drop out in a bright spell, but an error resulted in no points being added to the board.
Ligi Sao was sent to the bin after 59 minutes for a late tackle with the Giants nearly capitalising on the field position, but this time being pulled back for a forward pass. FC then raced down field and had an opportunity, but a ricocheting kick fell into the arms of Matty English.
A few sets later, Swift broke down the left hand side and passed back inside to Lolohea who went in for his second of the afternoon. With Connor off the field, Lolohea converted his own try.
A scrappy period of the game ensued with a few little coming togethers of the players, all without punishment. It was Tony Smith’s side who brought an end to this, with Pele tearing through the Giants defence for his first try. Charles converted from in front of the uprights with five minutes to go.
Ligi Sao was sin binned for a second time with under three minutes to go. Bibby got a try off the back of the penalty but Jake Connor couldn’t add the extras.
Full Time: Hull FC 22-56 Huddersfield Giants
The Teams:
Hull FC: Tex Hoy, Darnell McIntosh, Cam Scott, Liam Sutcliffe, Lewis Martin, Jack Charles, Morgan Smith, Herman Ese’ese, Fa’amanu Brown, Franklin Pele, Jayden Okunbor, Ligi Sao, Jordan Lane.
Interchanges: Joe Cator, Jack Brown, Matty Laidlaw, Logan Moy.
18th Man: Will Gardiner.
Huddersfield Giants: Jake Connor, Jake Bibby, Esan Marsters, Kevin Naiqama, Adam Swift, Tui Lolohea, Adam Clune, Matty English, Adam Milner, Olly Wilson, Jack Murchie, Leroy Cudjoe, Luke Yates.
Interchanges: Ashton Golding, Hugo Salabio, Sebastine Ikahihifo, Harry Rushton.
18th Man: Oliver Russell.
STORY SPONSOR
