Hull FC 24 Salford 20: Sa grabs late winner for Black and Whites

The heavily-depleted Red Devils had asked Hull to postpone the Super League fixture at the start of the week and they may have had the Black and Whites questioning their decision to reject the request for a large part of the contest.

Salford made a blistering start and took a fourth-minute lead through Kevin Locke which they held until Tom Lineham scored his 11th try of the season on the half-hour mark, with the Hull man sin-binned in the aftermath.

On-loan Wigan pair James Greenwood and Oliver Gildart scored their first Salford tries either side of Fetuli Talanoa’s effort before Mark Minichiello got Hull back to within two points of the Red Devils at 20-18.

Setaimata Sa edged the Airlie Birds ahead for the first time in the 71st minute and they were celebrating a nervy victory on the final hooter.

The first try saw Theo Fages’s high kick was brilliantly taken and touched down by Locke.

Fages added the extras and then slotted over another two points when Hull were penalised for interference.

Feka Paleaasina came off the bench and immediately lifted the Black and Whites with a rampaging run, but Salford stood firm on their own line and looked to have stretched their lead further.

Mason Caton-Brown got downward pressure on a loose ball from another Fages kick but referee James Child ruled Greg Johnson had taken out Steve Michaels.

Celebration turned to frustration at the other end soon after when the touch judge raised his flag to signal Lineham had a foot in touch before finishing spectacularly in the corner.

But the Hull winger was not to be denied a minute later as he took Jordan Rankin’s looping pass before showing blistering pace to reach the line.

Lineham was too vocal for Child’s liking after successfully touching down, with the man in the middle sending him to the bin.

Sneyd converted to reduce the deficit to two points.

But Salford were soon celebrating their second try of the night after Johnson snaked across from the wing and threw out an offload which bounced into the grateful hands of Greenwood.

Hull were back to within two points when Sneyd converted Talanoa’s powerful effort which owed much to Danny Houghton’s smart footwork from a penalty.

But Salford refused to relinquish their lead and they stretched it again as Gildart pounced on Fages’s dab.

The sides continued to exchange tries as Minichiello powered his way over and Sneyd added the extras. Hull piled on the pressure and scored the game-breaking try through Sa, who teased Salford before dummying and reaching out to score.

Hull FC: Rankin, Lineham, Talanoa, Yeaman, Michaels, Pryce, Sneyd, Thompson, Houghton, Watts, Sa, Minichiello, Howarth. Substitutes: Paleaaesina, Whiting, B. Tyson-Wilson, Abdull.

Salford: Evalds, Locke, Gildart, Caton-Brown, Johnson, Fages, Walton, Tasi, J. Walne, Taylor, Hansen, G. Griffin, Forster. Substitutes: Hood, D. Griffin, Lannon, Greenwood.

Referee: J Child (RFL).