OIn what has been the ‘round of the underdog’ could the
Salford Red Devils follow the trend and get only their second win of an awful
season as they faced Hull FC who were in need to the two points to move bac
inside the all-important top six.
The bookies certainly didn’t think that it was going to be
Salford’s day and they gave them a twenty-eight-point start on the handicap
coupon pre-match, as the home side gave four players debut on loan as they
struggled to name am eighteen.
This was the first meeting between the two sides in 2025,
Salford winning the last meeting between the two sides by 58-4 when they last
met in September 2024.
After good early pressure from Salford it was FC who opened
the scoring on their first real attack on eight minutes, Cade Cust pushing off
an attempted tackle and stepping through the defensive line to score from ten
metres. Zak Hardaker added the conversion from in front of the sticks.
FC should have added a second in seventeen, but Davy Litten
bounced the ball as he went to ground.
Salford opened their account on twenty, Chris Hankinson
going in from ten metres after a brilliant tap pass in the build-up. Hankinson
did the honours with the boot to level the scores, thoroughly deserved for
Salford.
On twenty-seven, FC were back ahead when Lewis Martin took a
Litten pass to glide over on his knees and ground one-handed in the left corner.
Hardaker was unable to add the conversion from the touchline, the visitors four
ahead at the halfway mark.
Hull went further ahead on thirty-four, Litten getting in in
the scoring act after taking an Aidan Sezer pass and pushing through three attempted
tackles to force the ball onto the ground. Hardaker was again wide with the
touchline conversion attempt.
Hull were eight points up at the break, Salford rally giving
it a go.
After forcing a goal-line dropout, a great take by Litten of
the short kick-off put Hull back on the front foot. On the third tackle Jordan Rapana
found Herman Ese’ese charging onto the pass and going in for the fourth Hull
try. Hardaker made it two from four for 20-6.
Any hopes that Salford had were snuffed out on fifty-four as
Hardaker scooted from dummy half and pushed over the line on his back before
spinning to score.
Thirteen minutes remained when Salford spilled the ball on
their own twenty, Tom Birscoe picking up the loose ball and sprinted to the
line for a simple try. Jack Charles kicked the conversion for 32-6.
After being denied a minute earlier, Harvey Barron got his
try on seventy-seven when he picked up a rolling ball close to the line and
acrobatically dotted it down to put the icing on the Hull FC cake. Charles added
the touchline conversion for 38-6.
An embarrassing Rapana attempted drop goal in the dying
seconds didn’t make it to the posts but the game was already well won.
FC move up to sixth in the table pushing Wakefield Trinity
back out of the play-off places while Salford fall to their fourteenth loss of
the season despite some bright moments from the ‘band of brothers’ thrown
together through adversity. FC are back on target after their loss to
Castleford last time out, and once again their play-off destiny is in their own
hands.
Salford Red Devils: Connell, Vaughan, Hankinson (T, G 1/1),
Warren, Hill S, Marsters, Brierley, Ormondroyd, Robb, Hill C, Foster, Russell,
Shorrocks. Subs: Bullock, Wilson, Whitehead, Rugless. 18th Man:
Glover.
Hull FC: Rapana, Barron, Briscoe (T), Litten (T), Martin (T),
Cust (T), Sezer, Ese’ese (T), Bourouh, Knight, Hardaker (T, G 2/4),
Chamberlain, Aydin. Subs: Charles (G 2/2), Ashworth, Fash, Eseh. 18th
Man: Laidlaw.
Half-Time: 6-14.
Full-Time: 6-38.
Score Progression: 0-4, 0-6, 4-6, 6-6, 6-10, 6-14 : HT: 6-18,
6-20, 6-24, 6-26, 6-30, 6-32, 6-36, 6-38 :FT.
Lead Exchanges: FC – Square - FC.
Referee: Tom Grant.
