Hull FC 14 Salford Red Devils 60: Tony Smith honeymoon period well and truly over as frailties resurface

The boos started early at the MKM Stadium as Salford Red Devils ripped the Black and Whites apart with consummate ease.

After seeing Salford bring up their half-century in the early stages of the second half, a stream of home supporters headed for the exits, a worrying sign for Smith and his side just four rounds in.

The Black and Whites made a promising start to the new era under Super League's most experienced coach but they have been handed a reality check since seeing off Castleford Tigers and Leeds Rhinos.

Catalans exposed the frailties that had been papered over in the opening two rounds to inflict a 38-6 defeat on Hull last week, offering encouragement to Salford as they looked to get back to the form that saw them reach the play-off semi-finals last year.

The Red Devils are the most expansive team in the competition and have a variety to their play that is a nightmare to defend against – but they did not have to work hard for their points thanks to the generosity of their hosts.

Hull were carved open with alarming regularity on their way to a 10-try drubbing that brought back memories of the dismal seasons under Brett Hodgson.

The Black and Whites have developed a habit of collapsing in the face of adversity and those issues are not going to go away overnight, as Smith has discovered over the past week or so.

Salford racked up 50 points in as many minutes as they made a mockery of the pre-match talk about their selection issues.

The Red Devils were down to their last 18 fit players but they rarely have to make changes to the spine and it shows.

With Hull FC old boy Marc Sneyd linking up with Andy Ackers, Brodie Croft and Ryan Brierley to great effect, Salford had no trouble opening Hull up after overcoming a shaky start.

Jake Clifford's early show and go close to the Red Devils line was a distant memory by the end of a chastening afternoon as Paul Rowley's side ran in 56 unanswered points.

Salford's first try came on seven minutes following a break from deep by Sneyd in a sign of things to come.

Brierley was hauled down but Salford quickly shifted the ball out to the right where Deon Cross finished.

When Shane Wright coasted over soon after, the writing was on the wall for Hull.

There was a smattering of boos after the home fans saw Croft coast through the middle before finding Brierley who finished – and their mood did not improve.

Tyler Dupree shrugged off a series of would-be tacklers to plonk the ball down next to the posts and Wright went through another gaping hole to score his second.

Sneyd showed some mercy to his old club when he went for goal from a penalty just before the break but there was no let-up after the interval.

Cross completed his double a minute into the second half on the back of a break by Tim Lafai, which became an eight-point try when the officials spotted a high tackle on the centre.

Watkins touched down from Brierley's neat kick and Sneyd brought up 50 when he converted his own jinking effort.

Lafai got his name on the scoresheet after another break from deep, a ninth try for the visitors with just 55 minutes on the clock.

Hull stemmed the bleeding in the closing stages and scored consolation tries through Adam Swift and Brad Fash – but Salford were in no mood to let their hosts have the last word.

With the full-time hooter approaching, Lafai crashed over for his second after bouncing off several defenders to underline the size of the task facing Smith.

Hull FC: Hoy, Swift, Griffin, Scott, McIntosh, Lovodua, Clifford, Taylor, Houghton, Fash, Sao, Savelio, Lane.

Substitutes: Satae, Evans, Brown, Dwyer.

Salford Red Devils: Brierley, Sio, Cross, Lafai, Williams, Croft, Sneyd, Ormondroyd, Ackers, Vuniyayawa, Watkins, Wright, Atkin.

Substitutes: Dupree, Sidlow, Longstaff, Costello.

Referee: Chris Kendall.