Hull FC 8 Harlequins 25: Frustrated Agar desperate for return of missing stars

Forward Lauaki joined Hull's injury list with a torn calf and Agar admitted his side are clearly missing his injured stars.

Chad Randall, Will Sharp, Luke Dorn, on-loan Warrington winger Kevin Penny and Luke Gale all touched down as Quins piled on the misery for Agar's struggling side who managed only late replies through Danny Houghton and Tom Briscoe.

"We've got some blokes trying their backsides off and some guys are not aiming up," Agar said. "Having the week off next week will help us get our big hitters back. We need them back. We are missing a certain amount of control and nous.

"We created some clear-cut chances that we should have put away. I thought the big difference in the first half was the end of sets. We never earned the right for too much field position.

"Their kick chase was good and they were clinical with their execution."

Quins, with confidence soaring after overcoming league leaders Wigan last week, looked a far better team than their lowly 13th position ahead of the game had suggested.

The Londoners were soon into their stride and took the lead in the sixth minute as Sharp side-stepped Richard Horne by the touchline and sent Randall over.

Winger Sharp was then on hand to finish off another slick move as he raced over in the corner from a David Howell pass.

Howell showed his defensive capabilities to keep out Jordan Tansey after a powerful break by Kirk Yeaman and Hull were again denied when Willie Manu powered over but lost possession. Tansey was also squeezed out close to the line by Gale.

Yet those Hull attacks were rare as the absences of the likes of Long, Fitzgibbon, Danny Tickle and Shaun Berrigan were again keenly felt.

Harlequins extended their lead after more good work by Howell, Dorn racing onto the centre's brilliant inside pass to touch down. Danny Orr managed to convert just one of Quins' opening three tries but Randall added an extra point with a drop goal moments before half-time.

Hull's miserable first half was just about summed up when Craig Hall flung the ball straight into touch attempting a one-handed pass.

The break did little for Hull, who continued to look disjointed after the resumption and Harlequins regularly found gaps.

Quins went further ahead after former Hull KR player Ryan Esders broke the line.

Play was spread wide and Penny cut inside to stretch out for his second try in Quins colours.

The pacy winger, looking to kickstart his career after falling down the pecking order at Warrington, earned a good ovation from the Wolves fans in the stadium awaiting their later game with Salford.

Orr was again wayward with the conversion and Hull gave themselves some hope as Houghton burst through to score from a Manu pass.

Problems returned almost immediately however as Hall, pressed into service as a goalkicker in the absence of so many colleagues, sliced his conversion attempt horribly wide.

Penny twice got the opportunity to show his pace as he chased kicks downfield and was unfortunate not to score as the first bobbled into touch and Briscoe managed to snatch the second.

Briscoe then showed his finishing ability to race away off a Yeaman pass and score just inside the touchline with some nimble footwork.

But it proved no more than consolation for Agar's men and Gale wrapped up the win when he crashed over from close range for an Orr-converted try in the closing minutes.

Hull: Tansey, Whiting, Hall, Yeaman, T. Briscoe, Turner, Horne, Dowes, Houghton, O'Meley, Manu, Burnett, Washbrook. Substitutes: Moa, Radford, Lauaki, McShane.

Harlequins RL: Dorn, Sharp, Clubb, Howell, Penny, Randall, Gale, Ward, Orr, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Purdham, Temata, Melling. Substitutes: Jones, Williams, Esders, Wilkes.

Referee: G Hewer (Wakefield).