Hull FC boss Lee Radford seeks reaction after Leeds Rhinos inflict further home woe

Hull are reeling after conceding more than 50 points at home for the second time in a week, Leeds Rhinos following up the 54-18 drubbing handed out by Salford with a 52-24 success yesterday, their highest-ever away score against the Black and Whites.

Radford’s men are now without a win in three matches and he admitted their current form is not acceptable.

“We are a team that prides itself on defence,” he said. “To concede that many is the most frustrating element, apart from the official.

“We haven’t got time to mope about it. We are on again in 72 hours, thankfully.

“We’d play again tomorrow, because the quicker we can the quicker we can get it back. It puts more importance on Monday. Unbelievably that [yesterday] was for us to go second in the table, which gives an indication of what a funny old season it has been.

“This is our dip, our rut. Hopefully we can break its back on Monday and never see it again.”

Radford stepped back from criticising James Child, who sin-binned Hull’s Gareth Ellis and Mahe Fonua along with Danny McGuire of Leeds, insisting the referee did a “great job”.

Hull are likely to face Leigh without Josh Bowden and Fetuli Talanoa who were both hurt in yesterday’s game. Leeds’ win was marred by injuries to Liam Sutcliffe (concussion) and Ashton Golding (hamstring) which are likely to rule them out of Monday’s visit of Widnes Vikings.

Other than that, coach Brian McDermott felt it was a job well done. McDermott said: “We controlled the start and we never really let that grip of the game go. That’s not to say Hull didn’t have a reaction, they did - certainly in the second half.

“They are a big set, they are hard to keep tackling. After a period of time it does gas you a bit, we were struggling midway through the second half, but to put so many points on is pleasing. It was a real collective effort. I don’t think Hull were poor, it was a physically tough game”