Hull FC 12 Wigan Warriors 56: Impressive Richards’s hat-trick leaves Hull feeling blue

Winger Richards scored a hat-trick and finished with a 26-point individual haul in a crushing triumph which saw the Warriors outscore their hosts 10 tries to two at the KC Stadium.

Three tries inside the opening 15 minutes gave the Warriors the platform to go on and record an emphatic victory.

Having taken the lead inside two minutes through Richards, the former Man of Steel winner soon doubled the Warriors’ advantage, touching down one handed after rounding opposite number Will Sharp on the last tackle.

Hull had gone into the match missing a host of first-team players including their half-back duo of Brett Seymour and Richard Horne.

Forced into making changes to their side once again, Hull looked ill at ease in defence and the manner in which Gareth Hock crashed over the line for Wigan’s third try despite having a collection of black and white shirts around him will have worried home coach Peter Gentle.

Steadying the ship, the re-introduction of prop Sam Moa alongside the old head of Lee Radford, back out of retirement once again to aid Hull’s injury cause, the home side finally found their way into the game and began enjoying an equal share of possession.

However, unlike their opponents, Hull could not find a clinical edge within sight of the Wigan line and the Warriors made sure they paid for their profligacy with a further two tries inside the closing minutes of the first half from Sam Tomkins and Josh Charnley.

Richards completed his hat-trick with a trademark catch from a cross-field kick by Brett Finch.

Michael McIlorum’s try soon after took Wigan to the 40-point mark but to their credit Hull would not lie down and hit back with two tries of their own from Jamie Ellis and Sharp.

That was as good as it got for Hull, though, and a second try for Charnley followed by late scores for Thomas Leuluai and Finch concluded a one-sided affair.

Hull: McKinnon, Sharp, Martin, Crooks, T. Briscoe, Nicklas, Ellis, Moa, Houghton, Lynch, Manu, Tickle, Pitts. Substitutes: Whiting, Radford, Kent, Bowden.

Wigan: S. Tomkins, Charnley, Goulding, Carmont, Richards, Finch, Leuluai, Prescott, McIlorum, Dudson, Hock, Hansen, O’Loughlin. Substitutes: Farrell, Tuson, Lauaki, Lima.

Referee: S Ganson (St Helens).