Hull FC 32 Widnes Vikings 12: Airlie Birds made to wait but ultimately ease to win

Hull FC turned on the style against struggling Widnes Vikings to claim a third successive win that lifts them up to second.
Hull FCs Mahe Fonua attempts to offload in their match with Widnes Vikings (Picture: Danny Lowson/PA Wire).Hull FCs Mahe Fonua attempts to offload in their match with Widnes Vikings (Picture: Danny Lowson/PA Wire).
Hull FCs Mahe Fonua attempts to offload in their match with Widnes Vikings (Picture: Danny Lowson/PA Wire).

It took Lee Radford’s men 31 minutes to take the lead at the KCOM Stadium, but they cut loose early in the second half with three tries in a six-minute spell.

Stand-off Albert Kelly scored two tries for the third successive match as Hull, boosted by the return of captain Gareth Ellis, show signs of hitting their straps.

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The visitors took the lead after only three minutes when former Hull player Aaron Heremaia, making a rare start in the absence of injured duo Joe Mellor and Tom Gilmore, took a pass from Lloyd White to dart through a gap for the opening try.

White’s conversion made it 6-0, but the lead lasted just three minutes as winger Mahe Fonua collected Marc Sneyd’s high kick and passed out of the tackle to get the supporting Kelly over for a try that Sneyd goaled.

The scoring dried up as defences tightened, with stand-off Danny Craven going close for the visitors and Hull failing to make the most of a clean break from substitute prop Chris Green.

Fonua eventually broke the deadlock nine minutes before half-time when he accepted Kelly’s cut-out pass to produce a strong finish at the corner and put his side in front for the first time.

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Sneyd kicked the touchline conversion and added a penalty to stretch the lead to 14-6, but, after a tight first half, it was virtually one-way traffic after the break.

Hooker Danny Houghton touched down a Sneyd kick in a neatly rehearsed move, second rower Mark Minichiello smashed a hole in the Widnes defence to get full-back Jamie Shaul over, and Kelly charged over from 20 metres out for his second try.

The accurate Sneyd maintained his perfect record with the boot to extend the lead to 32-6 after only 52 minutes, but Widnes rallied in the final quarter and scored the remaining points 10 minutes from the end when Chris Houston’s kick on the last tackle ricocheted into the arms of White, who touched down for the try and added the goal.

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

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Widnes Vikings: Thompson, Marsh, Bridge, Armstrong, Runciman, Heremaia, Craven, J Chapelhow, White, Buchanan, Houston, Whitley, Cahill. Substitutes: T Chapelhow, Leuluai, Olbison, Johnstone.

Referee: Chris Campbell (RFL) .

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