Hull F. C. 20 Huddersfield Giants 34: DAVID HODGSON scored his seventh Super League hat-trick in a little over two years as Huddersfield Giants reclaimed a share of top spot.

While the ex-Halifax wideman, 29, is now not always a first choice in Nathan Brown’s plans there can be no doubting his finishing prowess as he demonstrated to great effect at the KC Stadium.

Hodgson – who enjoyed three hat-tricks inside five prolific weeks last summer – showed both great footwork and agility to beat Will Sharp in the narrowest of spaces and touch down one-handed to complete his treble in the 68th minute.

However, it was left to the brilliant scrum-half Danny Brough to seal victory and end frustrated Hull’s chances of extending their five-game winning run.

The England hopeful had instigated most of Huddersfield’s scoring with his rich array of talents, including an outstanding kicking game that brought a succession of drop-outs, and he came to the fore once more just as the Airlie Birds thought they had a win in sight.

After Hodgson’s third, created by Brough’s cut-out pass, Mark O’Meley won a short re-start from Danny Tickle’s towering kick to set up position for Willie Manu to score immediately, the Samoan showing all his customary power to swat aside a host of defenders on a diagonal run to to the posts.

Tickle converted to see Hull – who had made too many errors to realistically claim the points – trail just 22-20 with 10 minutes remaining.

From the re-start set, Sam Obst ushered a short pass to Jordan Turner near halfway which seemed destined to see Hull’s replacement centre sprint untouched for the goalline and give them an unlikely lead.

However, instead, he coughed up the ball and the predatory Brough picked up the pieces to race 45m the other way and ease Huddersfield’s nerves.

It was systematic of Hull’s afternoon; from the moment O’Meley spilled stretching for the line in the fourth minute, they simply squandered too much possession against a side who need no second invite to score.

Huddersfield were not even their usual slick selves but still had enough firepower to complete a Super League double over the East Yorkshire club.

They made sure with five minutes to go when David Faiumu proved it is not just Brough who can kick, the Kiwi’s cushioned dink seeing Lee Gilmour dive in for a try which meant the eventual scoreline flattered the visitors.

Huddersfield, missing England prop Eorl Crabtree due to a hamstring injury and seeing in-form full-back Scott Grix stretchered off with a head injury in the second half, had led just 10-8 at the break.

Michael Lawrence scored inside six minutes after Hodgson had collected Brough’s pinpoint chip, ignored the tackle of Sharp and squeezed out an off-load.

Hull responded when Grix made a mess of a towering Richard Horne kick seeing Manu’s delicate pass easing Ewan Dowes through for the replacement prop’s first try in three years with his first touch after entering the field.

Tickle improved the 15th minute score but, after Kirk Yeaman made his second fumble of the afternoon, Huddersfield responded, Brough forcing a drop-out from which they struck once more.

Hodgson stretched high to take Kevin Brown’s long cut-out pass in the corner with Brough converting the 25th-minute effort, but defiant Hull hurt their opponents with a series of rattling tackles, notably Manu’s massive hit which left Gilmour dazed and losing the ball.

Tickle’s penalty after the hooter saw the hosts – who lost full-back Cameron Phelps to injury early on and were without Richard Whiting after his wife gave birth – narrowly trailing but another error cost them dear five minutes into the second period.

When Joe Westerman spilled a simple pass, some slick handling culminated with another splendid long delivery from Brough seeing Hodgson get the ball down one-handed just as he evaded the helpless Sharp again.

Brough converted from wide out before Grix was flattened by a heavy tackle from Yeaman which left the full-back requiring five minutes of treatment to a neck injury before being stretchered off.

It seemed hard but legal. However, referee Thierry Alibert placed the incident on report and awarded Huddersfield a penalty from which Larne Patrick was held up.

Yeaman’s woe continued when his timely tackle on Leroy Cudjoe just slipped into a dangerous one as his opponent’s legs raised above his head.

There was little Yeaman could do due to the momentum but by the letter of the law it was a penalty and Brough slotted the kick.

O’Meley barged over from close range in the 64th minute, Tickle’s conversion raising the KC noise levels in expectancy of a rousing finish. But, after Yeaman fumbled Tom Briscoe’s off-load, the pressure was eased and, fittingly, Brough’s arrowed pass saw Hodgson strike with quality once more, Hull badly missing the defensive strength of Whiting out wide.

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Hull FC: Phelps; Sharp, Gleeson, Yeaman, Briscoe; Horne, Obst; O’Meley, Houghton, Moa, Manu, Tickle, Fitzgibbon. Substitutes: Westerman, Dowes, Turner, Lauaki.

Huddersfield Giants: Grix; McGillvary, Cudjoe, Lawrence, Hodgson; Brown, Brough; Mason, Robinson, Griffin, Kirmond, Gilm our Faiumu. Substitutes: Fa’alogo, Lunt, Patrick, Raleigh.

Referee: T Alibert (Toulouse).