Huddersfield Giants 8 Hull FC 48: Marc Sneyd replies to Garry Schofield's sniping in imperious fashion

Nevertheless, if Hull FC’s half-back did feel any need to prove a point after Great Britain legend Schofield very publicly blasted his creative credentials on a radio broadcast, he did so emphatically last night.

Sneyd, who claimed the Lance Todd Trophy when Hull FC won the Challenge Cup last season, was heavily criticised for his indifferent display in last week’s tepid 16-14 home loss to Catalans Dragons.

It was not the first time former Leeds stand-off Schofield had attacked his quality.

However, he was certainly more like his slick self here as he instigated this demolition of hapless Huddersfield Giants, scoring a hat-trick of tries, creating a couple more and adding eight goals for 28 points to deliver the Black and Whites’ second win of the campaign.

Granted, Hall of Famer Schofield – who, of course, first came to prominence with Hull in the early Eighties and always has an opinion or six – typically still got in the last word.

Having initially prompted a heated response from Hull head coach Lee Radford ahead of this game, the 51-year-old Tweeted during the course of the match: “If any other Super League club wants someone to motivate their players, you know where I am.”

In fairness, his motivational skills were never required here.

The sight of a depleted Huddersfield side missing nine first-choice players would have been enough to make 26-year-old Sneyd start rubbing his hands in gleeful anticipation.

It is easier to list those that did play than did not. Things were already looking ominous for the hosts when Lee Gaskell – the most experienced player in their youthful backline – pulled out after the warm-up, with Giants saying it was due to an “irregularity in his heartbeat”.

Twenty-year-old Mikey Wood came in off the bench, 19-year-old Darnell McIntosh making the late switch from wing to full-back on his senior debut.

Rick Stone’s side was littered with other rookies, too, such as Sam Wood (19), and Tyler Dickinson (20) with only a handful of first-team appearances between them.

It was no surprise the visitors swept into a 24-0 interval lead and quickly made sure after the break that any rally from their beleaguered opponents would only be bold rather than successful.

Sneyd was to the fore from the off, creating the opening try for Fetuli Talanoa with a fine assist before he intercepted Ryan Brierley’s pass to race in untouched from 40m with a score redolent of Schofield’s old trademark.

Sneyd’s second try later in the half saw him dart blind behind a ruck and dummy his way through some meek defence while he completed his treble – a first hat-trick for the former Castleford Tiger – in the 74th minute having unleashed the impressive Josh Griffin down the left and then supported his centre.

Huddersfield had almost get off to a perfect start when Jamie Shaul, the Hull full-back who joined up with England for the first time on Monday, dropped a high kick, the first of three such errors.

Kruise Leeming sent Gene Ormsby over in the corner, but it was duly brought back for a forward pass.

Giants would not score a legitimate try until Sam Wood – with a third in two games deputising for Giants captain Leroy Cudjoe – crossed in the 63rd minute by which time they were 36-0 to the worse.

As well as the promptings of Sneyd, they had Albert Kelly to deal with, too, the Australian half who returned from a one-match suspension with some aplomb.

He dummied his way over for a silky try in the first half and added his second early in the second period although, that time, the Giants’ defence was feeble.

Huddersfield prop Shannon Wakeman was held up after a clever short ball from Paul Clough at the end of the first half, but the hosts had little cohesion and, once more, Brierley struggled at half-back.

Sneyd sent Griffin in for his first try since joining from Salford Red Devils and fellow centre Carlos Tuimavave also raced in from 80m before Sneyd got his last try.

Oliver Roberts had the last word for Giants in the 77th minute, but they need players back for next Friday’s trip to Leigh.

Cudjoe should return, but they had an entire back-row in Dale Ferguson, Tom Symonds and Michael Lawrence missing through injury and the suspended Ukuma Ta’ai, Nathan Mason coming in late on the bench after Gaskell’s late withdrawal.

It meant Hull’s issues – Liam Watts started a four-game ban and captain Gareth Ellis was absent with a neck injury – were comparatively minimal, Jordan Thompson and Masimbaashe Matongo making the most of their call-ups.

Huddersfield Giants: McIntosh; Ormsby, S Wood, Mellor, M Wood; Brough, Brierley; Rapira, Leeming, Ikahihifo, Roberts, Smith, Hinchliffe. Substitutes: Wakeman, Clough, Dickinson, Mason.

Hull FC: Shaul; Fonua, Tuimavave, Griffin, Talanoa; Kelly, Sneyd; Taylor, Houghton, Bowden, Manu, Minichiello, Thompson. Substitutes: Connor, Green, Washbrook, Matongo.

Referee: Phil Bentham (Warrington).