Salford City Reds 27 Hull FC 20: Hull suffer away day blues as Reds lift the gloom

The Airlie Birds slumped to a 27-20 defeat at lowly Salford on Saturday evening – only the Reds' second win of the season – to maintain their poor away record this season.

For after an impressive opening day win against St Helens, Hull have now lost their last three road trips – at Wigan, Crusaders and Salford – to handicap their challenge to leaders Wigan Warriors.

That's in stark contrast to their 100 per cent winning record at KC Stadium this year and has not been lost on coach Richard Agar, who feared a backlash after Salford were thrashed at Wakefield last weekend.

"We knew they would respond after their defeat at Wakefield but this was another disappointing away performance by us," said Agar, whose side would have gone third with victory.

"It was probably as bad as we have been all year and we were very ordinary.

"Our discipline with the ball was poor and we gave away some cheap penalties which were a contributory factor.

"If we want to be title challengers, performances like this have to be few and far between and we need to fix things up urgently."

Sean Long was involved in both the opening tries. First he could not hold back Reds' Adam Sidlow as he powered his way over, but the former St Helens legend made amends soon after with a try converted by Danny Tickle.

In an opening littered with mistakes from both sides, the next error was one 17-year-old Reece Lyne will want to forget. The winger – who has been in scintillating form for the Under-20s this season, with five tries in the first four games of the season – came across to cover Steve Tyrer's kick but missed the ball and Irish full-back Karl Fitzpatrick pounced to score. Daniel Holdsworth kicked his second conversion.

Black and Whites coach Agar had handed the England Academy star his competitive senior debut with Mark Calderwood ruled out injured, although the teenager did feature in the first-team in pre-season against Hull KR and Sheffield Eagles.

Kirk Yeaman's fifth try of the season brought Hull back into the contest. Long's punt to the corner was plucked out of the air by Yeaman who strolled over.

Tickle missed the conversion then, but made no mistake from Epalahame Lauaki's 39th-minute effort. Lauaki shrugged off several Salford tacklers to crash over the line, and after TV replays the video referee ruled the try was legitimate despite suggestions he had knocked on in grounding the ball.

The visitors' half-time advantage at 16-12 lasted just four minutes after the break, before parity was restored. Former Leeds Rhinos winger Jodie Broughton - who spent a month on loan at the Airlie Birds two years ago – somehow squeezed over in the corner despite three Hull players in attendance.

The match was finely balanced now, but it was Salford who edged ahead with an amazing try. A Holdsworth kick to the corner looked to be drifting out of play, but the ball was tapped backwards by Tyrer and Fitzpatrick pounced for his second try.

Cometh the hour, cometh the teenager as Lyne marked his debut with a try to pull Hull level again. Quick hands from Richard Whiting saw the ball reach Lyne and he made no mistake at the corner.

At 20-20 with 20 minutes remaining, it was anybody's game and it was Salford who came up with a converted try. Broughton again looked second favourite after being outnumbered by Hull players, but he powered over the line and former Canterbury Bulldogs half back Holdsworth added the extras from the touchline.

Matty Smith twice attempted a drop goal but fell wide as Salford looked to stretch their advantage to seven points.

And Hull looked like they had grabbed a late winner to punish Smith's misses.

Long kicked high and when the ball was allowed to bounce Whiting snatched it up but with the line beckoning he was thwarted by a super tackle by Willie Talau.

Holdsworth's drop goal was the final act of the match as Salford celebrated their 27-20 victory.

Agar said: "We shouldn't have been in the game near the end. Our first-half slight lead was arguably undeserved.

"We needed to fix our control of the ball and didn't.

"We had a chance to nick it but it would have been unjust if we had.

"Salford did the right things and we didn't."

Salford forward Rob Parker is facing a lay-off after it was confirmed he broke a hand.

The 28-year-old former Bradford and Warrington prop has been referred to a specialist tomorrow, suggesting he may have to undergo surgery.

Parker, the Reds' club captain, missed the last three months of last season with a fractured skull but has started all eight matches so far this year.

Shaun McRae said: "I was delighted with the performance.

"We were impatient at times in the first half and deserved to be down."

Salford City Reds: Fitzpatrick, Broughton, Henry, Talau, Tyrer, M Smith, Holdsworth, Cashmere, Alker, Boyle, Sidlow, Adamson, Swain. Substitutes: Littler, Parker, Jewitt, Gibson.

Hull FC: Tansey, Lyne, Whiting, Yeaman, T Briscoe, Turner, Long, O'Meley, Berrigan, Radford, Manu, Tickle, Fitzgibbon. Substitutes: Dowes, Lauaki, Houghton, Moa.

Referee: J Child (Dewsbury).