Widnes 22-33 Hull FC: Hull rally for victory

Match stats: Widnes 22-33 Hull FC

Widnes tries: Houston (6), Hanbury (10), Ah Van (29,36)
Conversions/penalties: Gilmore (11,30,37) 

Hull tries: Turgut (40), Shaul (40,68), Tuimavave (60), Kelly (61), Washbrook (79)
Conversions/penalties: Sneyd (40,60,66,69)
Drop-Goals: Sneyd (70) 

Match report

Jamie Shaul grabbed a double as Hull FC turned around a 22-point deficit to stun Widnes 33-22 in Betfred Super League.

The Vikings put in a remarkable first-half effort and deservedly led 22-4 at the break before they were hit with 33 unanswered points in a defeat that keeps them rooted to the bottom of the table.

Hull were miles off the pace in the first period and the Vikings powered to a deserved four-score lead, but Lee Radford's men scored two tries in two minutes either side of the interval to give them a flicker of hope.

Tom Gilmore was the inspiration as Chris Houston, Rhys Hanbury and a Patrick Ah Van double put the Vikings in charge.

Jansin Turgut, Shaul, Carlos Tuimavave, Albert Kelly and Danny Washbrook all crossed as Hull ran riot, with Marc Sneyd adding five kicks including a drop goal.

Widnes lost centre Chris Bridge after 90 seconds but soon caught Hull out wide as Gil Dudson offloaded to Gilmore, who sent in Houston for a well-worked score.

Three minutes later Widnes were in again as Matt Whitley delivered a lovely pass to Aussie speedster Hanbury, who sprinted in from long range.

Whitley went close for the home side only to be held up on the line, but from the next set Ah Van flew over for a try on his 100th Widnes appearance.

Vikings scrum-half Gilmore was having a major say in the dominant display and it was his lovely lofted kick out to the flank which was picked up by his winger Ah Van, who juggled the ball before planting it down.

The visitors broke their duck on the cusp of half-time as Shaul's weaving run was completed by Turgut.

Hull coach Lee Radford sent on Josh Griffin after half-time and he made an immediate impact as his break set up Shaul for a walk in.

Widnes looked to hit back to stop the Hull momentum and Chris Dean had one chalked off by the officials as he pounced on a Joe Mellor kick.

Hull bombed one through Turgot as Tuimavave put him clear but former black-and-whites hooker Aaron Heremaia came from nowhere to stop the youngster.

Tuimavave wouldn't be denied though, and Kelly's deft pass sent him over to put them within a converted score.

The Airlie Birds found themselves level pegging on 65 minutes when Kelly stepped and found a gaping hole which he romped in from 50 metres before Sneyd converted.

Shaul then crossed with a typical bursting effort as Widnes' defenders ran out of energy, Sneyd dropped a goal which left the Vikings needing two scores and Danny Washbrook had the final say at the death with a simple score as the hosts crumbled.

Match reaction

Hull FC boss Lee Radford on the victory: "I'm pleased after that. We gave ourselves a really difficult job to do because of the start we made. We re 16 points down and conceded again but we scored before the break and that gave us a chance.

"We were out-enthused in every department (in the first half). Every energy indicator - we were second best in that first half. We showed the lads some clips in half-time why we were in the situation we were in.

"We needed something more and we needed some energy and we eventually got it. We got the response and we found a way to win.

"We wanted to get Albert (Kelly) carrying the ball a bit more and he managed to do that. We could have made it even easier in the end as we bombed some chances.

"The group know that comebacks like that possible but we don't want to be doing that. We want to be on the front foot from the off."

Widnes head coach Denis Betts after blowing a big lead: "It was a tale of two halves. If we had points for winning halves then we'd be in a lot better position.

"In these past few weeks we've won the first halves in games but not got anything out of them.

"It was the best 40 minutes of the year for us. Then we stopped doing everything. Our shape dropped, our talk dropped off. We had a great lead and energy but then don't turn up in the second half.

"They have got some good players and we let them back in. Jamie Shaul, Albert Kelly, Marc Sneyd and Carlos Tuimavave... we were chasing shadows.

"We need to show attitude in that when there's a time to work, we need to step up.

"We are searching for that consistency in an 80-minute game. We are failing to put two halves together. I was buoyant in the first half and I have to take a positive in that."

Betts on Chris Bridge's injury: "Chris Bridge knocked himself out in the tackle. He had his head slammed to the ground and he's still a bit dazed now. That means we had one rotation less. We looked really tired in the second half and it showed."