WATCH - Hull FC 51 Catalans Dragons 8: Hull FC redeem themselves with thrashing of Cup holders Catalans Dragons

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Hull's Jake Connor touches down for their first try. (PIC: Johnathan Gawthorpe)Hull's Jake Connor touches down for their first try. (PIC: Johnathan Gawthorpe)
Hull's Jake Connor touches down for their first try. (PIC: Johnathan Gawthorpe)

Just five days after suffering an atrocious 55-2 Magic Weekend loss against Huddersfield Giants, Lee Radford’s side tonight produced a win similarly as emphatic over Catalans Dragons.

Don’t ask why such a difference. They can never explain it either.

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The East Yorkshire club are the first to admit they are maddeningly inconsistent, a character trait that could have severely jeopardised their chances of negotiating a difficult Coral Challenge Cup quarter-final tie against the in-form holders.

Hull's Jake Connor touches down for their first try. (PIC: Johnathan Gawthorpe)Hull's Jake Connor touches down for their first try. (PIC: Johnathan Gawthorpe)
Hull's Jake Connor touches down for their first try. (PIC: Johnathan Gawthorpe)

Nevertheless, Airlie Birds fans can breathe easy again; thankfully, the right version of their side turned up just in time to take them ever closer to a third Wembley win in just four years.

After what happened in Liverpool and here just earlier this month (they were beaten 37-6 by Catalans in the league) they needed a positive response in terms of attitude and effort at least.

Crucially, they ticked both those boxes and earned the result as well to surge into Sunday’s semi-final draw.

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There was plenty of fine individuals displays, not least from Jake Connor and Albert Kelly who both came up with telling plays when needed the most.

Hull FC's Bureta Faraimo scores. (PIC: Johnathan Gawthorpe)Hull FC's Bureta Faraimo scores. (PIC: Johnathan Gawthorpe)
Hull FC's Bureta Faraimo scores. (PIC: Johnathan Gawthorpe)

Likewise, Ratu Naulago’s two second-half tries to help Hull - who only led 12-8 at the break - pull clear were richly deserved.

However, it was the more under-stated performances that essentially under-pinned this victory.

Captain Danny Houghton, for example, returned from a calf strain and brought all of the defensive urgency and steeliness that you would expect from Super League’s regular top-tackler but also what was so clearly missing at Anfield at the weekend.

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Leading in such a fashion from the front, it was no surprise the rest followed; Andre Savelio, after a long lay-off of his own, powering straight back into action, and fellow prop Josh Bowden producing a remarkable display considering Saturday was his first Super League in more than a year.

Hull's Sika Manu gets in for a try. (PIC: Johnathan Gawthorpe)Hull's Sika Manu gets in for a try. (PIC: Johnathan Gawthorpe)
Hull's Sika Manu gets in for a try. (PIC: Johnathan Gawthorpe)

Their industry up front meant the absence of England prop Scott Taylor, who pulled out with his own calf injury, was not felt in the slightest.

After an attritional first period, Marc Sneyd felt the need to slot a 45th minute penalty to nudge his side slighter ahead.

When Tony Gigot, the Lance Todd Trophy winner last year, slipped and fumbled his kick soon after, Sika Manu cut in off Kelly’s inside pass to step through Michael McIlorum’s tackle for Sneyd made it 20-8.

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Still, Catalans - in third place and in fine form - had a chance to retrieve the situation.

However, with the French side on the attack, Kelly came up with a big hit on Kenny Edwards in the 52nd minute that saw the Catalans forward rush an offload.

Connor, not for the first time tonight, intercepted and send Naulago sprinting clear for the score that settled it.

Thereafter, Catalans capitulated; Kelly dummied and eased clear himself from 60m out for a try of his own and, after Sneyd tagged on a drop-goal, Naulago got his second when Edwards lost the ball again under bullying pressure.

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Jamie Shaul and Houghton both got in on the act to round off a thrilling win for Hull who - after 2016 and 2017 Cup final wins - still have lost just once in this competition in the last four years.

Things could not have started much better for Radford’s side who were 12-0 up inside just eight minutes.

Granted, both their tries had a touch of fortune about them.

Connor did brilliantly to stoop low and pick the ball off his bootlaces to score when Sneyd’s crossfield kick came loose.

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However, there was debate as to whether Naulago had nudged forward in the air when challenging Fouad Yaha. Video referee Robert Hicks thought not.

The hosts scored almost immediately afterwards, too, in almost comical style.

Hull’s Kelly had blindly flung a ball backwards out of the tackle, straight into the grateful arms of Catalans prop Remi Casty.

However, the Dragons captain, bizarrely, tried immediately offloading, only to see his pass intercepted by the lurking Connor.

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Moments later, the hosts shifted left and Sneyd’s long pass - which looked forward - was collected by Bureta Faraimo, the winger who finished off with ease.

Sneyd converted both and Catalans looked anything like Cup holders.

However, Connor was called upon to deny Yaha as the powerful winger tried bustling over on the last tackle and, when FC’s discipline waned, his side did respond.

Lewis Tierney got the first of his brace in the 15th minute although praise needs to be handed by David Mead, the Papuan centre whose fine footwork created the space.

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When Joe Westerman was penalised for a high tackle on Casty, winger Tierney was in for his second just six minutes later, Faraimo deceived by Gigot’s accurate cut-out pass.

Sam Tomkins could not convert either but Catalans had flexed their muscles.

In the end, though, it was only for show.

Hull FC: Shaul; Naulago, Connor, Griffin, Faraimo; Kelly, Sneyd; Green, Houghton, Paea, Minichiello, Manu, Westerman. Substitutes: Bowden, Hadley, Fash, Savelio.

Catalans Dragons: Gigot; Tierney, Mead, Williams, Yaha; Langi, Tomkins; Bousquet, McIllorum, Moa, Whitley, Garcia, Casty. Substitutes: Edwards, Da Costa, Baitieri, Kasiano.

Referee: Ben Thaler (Wakefield)