Huddersfield 8-48 Hull FC: Giants stunned at home

Match Stats

Huddersfield tries:  Brierley (64), Roberts (77)
Penalties/Conversions: NA

Hull FC tries:  Talanoa (5), Sneyd (9, 37, 74), Kelly (23, 49), Griffin (55), Tuimavave (68)
Penalties/Conversions:  Sneyd (5, 9, 23, 37, 49, 55, 68, 74) 

Match Report

Mark Sneyd answered his critics with a hat-trick and a 28-point show as Hull crushed Huddersfield 48-8.

Sneyd was heavily criticised by former Black and White Garry Schofield in the week, being told he could do nothing more than kick.

He dispelled that and then some here, scoring three tries, kicking eight goals and putting in an all-round stellar show.

Huddersield's Danny Brough, needing only six points to become the ninth highest scorer of all-time, was rarely given the opportunity to surpass Lewis Jones' tally of 3,445 as the Black and Whites dominated in both attack and defence.

CLICK HERE FOR SUPER LEAGUE FIXTURES, RESULTS & TABLE

So it was left to Hull's kicking scrum-half Sneyd to steal the individual glory, with livewire half back partner Albert Kelly also grabbing two tries as FC claimed their second win from three games this season, while carving out their biggest victory against the Giants in the Super League era.

Hull, with Liam Watts serving the first of a four-match suspension for a dangerous throw and minus captain Gareth Ellis (neck injury), welcomed back Kelly from a one-match ban, while Ryan Brierley was left with little to remember his 150th career appearance for the battling but threadbare Giants.

With wingers Gene Ormsby and Darrel McIntosh, and forwards Tyler Dickenson, Mikey Wood and Nathan Mason making their first appearances of the season, the West Yorkshire side were always likely to struggle to contain the Challenge Cup holders.

Yet, when Brough, on his 200th appearance for Huddersfield, saw his first towering bomb fumbled in the gusting wind by fullback Jamie Shaul and Ormsby was only denied a try when Kruise Leeming's long supply pass was deemed forward, home fans had brief reason to be optimistic.

Then, barely 90 seconds later, after Giants' Sam Wood lost the ball in his own half, Fetuli Talonoa dived over in the corner to open the Black and White account with Sneyd converting from the touchline.

Sneyd, who recently extended his his contract at the KCOM Stadium, then intercepted a pass on the halfway line and sprinted 50 metres to score before converting his own try.

The inexperienced Giants refused to panic and steadied the rocking ship but midway through the half a flash of individual magic from Kelly sliced open the home defence again and helped increase FC's lead to 18 points.

Talonoa was fortunate to only concede a penalty for what appeared to be shoulder charge in the air, while Brough repeatedly created havoc with high kicks but invariably there was no-one in a position to take full advantage and, just before the interval, Sneyd forced his way over again to send the visitors in leading 24-0 at half time.

Kelly darted through, again almost unopposed, to claim his second try eight minutes into the second half and, cheered on by five coachloads of travelling supporters, the Black and Whites added further scores through Josh Griffin, following a break by Talanoa, Carlos Tuimavave, with an 75-metre interception try, and Sneyd's again to complete the rout.

Wood claimed a long awaited but deserved consolation for the hosts just after the hour mark and Oliver Roberts also added another late try but Brough was narrowly wide with both conversions.

Match Reaction

Hull coach Lee Radford on Marc Sneyd: "Schoey lit a bit of a fuse with his comments so, if that's the response, he can keep doing that as often as he likes. Marc did not bat an eyelid about it but he is made of the stuff that does not react to criticism.

"His temperament is perfectly suited to being a number seven at the Black and Whites and does not fold under that sort of pressure."

On below-strength Huddersfield: "When we saw their team and the number of players they had out it's always worrying that we might drop our guard. It's uncanny for a team to have so many players out after just three or four rounds but we were not complaining when we saw their team.

"You hope that your players don't take anything for granted and their young blokes had a go so I am pleased. I thought our defence was really good - we conceded a couple of tries on our left edge, so we'll have to fix that up but we put a lot of ball down in back field so had to defend well.

"We still have to get a little bit more fluid with the football but I'm pleased to come here and get a win and it was still a physical win."

Huddersfield coach Rick Stone on his lack of troops: "It's been one of those weeks. I don't think I have one player who has not been injured or is now out after just four games and that's a first for me.

"We lost a couple of players from last week's game and lost a couple more in the week then we did not start well."

On Gaskell: "He has had some irregularities with his heartbeat and that occurred again in the warm-up so we have to send him away for some tests before he plays again. There has been some evidence of the problem in the last couple of weeks but has had an ECG (electrocardiogram) with us and we did not think it was an issue.

"He had a bit of an episode during the week but we were not quite sure if it was a panic attack or a heart situation so the health and welfare of the players must come first. We were aware of it and he decided he was not comfortable playing so we had to move on."