Hull FC 34 St Helens 6: Jake Clifford orchestrates first win over Super League champions in six years

Six years on, the playmaker is establishing himself as one of the best half-backs in Super League in an improving Hull side.

The Black and Whites underlined their progress under Tony Smith with a first victory over the all-conquering Saints since August 2017.

Hull had lost 16 straight games in that time but they outenthused and outfought the four-time defending champions on a night to remember at the MKM Stadium.

With Clifford running the show alongside the equally impressive Jake Trueman, the Black and Whites were 22-0 up at half-time and never looked like relinquishing their grip on the match.

Hull's kicking game was particularly impressive and Saints could not come up with the answers as they suffered a first defeat in seven matches.

The Black and Whites are unrecognisable from the team that suffered seven losses in a row in the early part of the season in a hangover from the Brett Hodgson era.

The soft underbelly has been replaced by a steely edge that offers hope for the rest of the season after exiting the Challenge Cup at the hands of St Helens last weekend.

If any team is going to make a late run for the play-offs, it could be Hull after leapfrogging Leeds Rhinos into eighth place.

The manner of the cup defeat – losing Josh Griffin to a red card for dissent at half-time – stung Hull but they channelled their frustration in the right way.

Mindful of the effect of the five-day turnaround, Smith made six changes and was rewarded with an energetic performance from the start.

Clifford was among the returnees after sitting out the cup clash due to a concussion and he had the look of a man desperate to make up for lost time.

The Australian half-back put himself in the right place to open the scoring just five minutes in after Darnell McIntosh claimed Trueman's lofted kick and got an offload away.

Sensing blood against an off-colour Saints, Hull went for the kill and had the game in the bag by half-time.

St Helens were unusually clunky in attack and soft in defence, epitomised by the second try scored by Carlos Tuimavave, one of three survivors from Hull’s last victory in the fixture.

The impressive Andre Savelio snaffled a poor kick by Lewis Dodd and in a flash, Saints were defending their own line.

Alarm bells would have been ringing in the visiting camp when Tuimavave forced his way over after taking a pass off the ruck on the last tackle.

Hull had their tails up and set about suffocating the champions with a St Helens-like intensity, making a statement with a superb chase and defensive set following a pinpoint deep kick by Danny Houghton.

With the home crowd in fine voice, Saints were rattled and had no answer to the buoyant Black and Whites.

The uncharacteristic errors kept coming, Jack Welsby inexplicably leaving a Trueman kick to run dead only to see McIntosh race through and flick the ball back for his half-back to finish.

Clifford nailed the touchline conversion to make it 16-0 and leave Hull in dreamland with barely 20 minutes on the clock.

The hosts remained on the front foot and continued to force Saints into mistakes.

After Curtis Sironen fumbled an offload from Savelio on the last tackle, Chris Satae powered his way over from close range to leave St Helens stunned.

It would have been even better for Hull had Davy Litten pulled off a spectacular finish in the corner but Smith's men were halfway to a famous win.

Saints came out early for the second half after some choice words from Paul Wellens and threatened an unlikely comeback when James Bell finished under the sticks on the back of a rampaging run by Konrad Hurrell.

It was a test of nerve for Hull and they passed with flying colours, taking the sting out of St Helens' surge before delivering the knockout blow.

The outstanding Clifford sent a deft kick through and Cam Scott twisted his way over to the delight of the Hull faithful.

The Black and Whites highlighted their defensive improvement as Saints set up camp on their line, surviving incessant pressure to keep their lead intact.

Litten had another spectacular try ruled out by the video referee but Hull were not denied three minutes from time when McIntosh pounced on a loose pass by Jonny Lomax from a scrum and raced 80 metres to score in a moment that summed up the night for both sides.

Hull FC: Shaul, Litten, Scott, Tuimavave, McIntosh, Trueman, Clifford, Fash, Houghton, Sao, Lovodua, Savelio, Cator. Substitutes: Satae, Lane, McNamara, Brown.

St Helens: Welsby, Ritson, Hurrell, Hopoate, Bennison, Lomax, Dodd, Walmsley, Knowles, Lees, Sironen, Batchelor, McCarthy-Scarsbrook. Substitutes: Roby, Mata'utia, Paasi, Bell.

Referee: Jack Smith.