Super League: Widnes Vikings 46-6 Hull FC
Last Updated: 10/03/16 11:42pm
Widnes cemented their place at the top of Super League with a convincing 46-6 win over Hull FC at the Select Security Stadium.
Hull started strongly on Thursday night and went 6-0 up when Frank Pritchard went over in the seventh minute, a try which was duly converted by Marc Sneyd.
However, the visitors then had three tries disallowed in the opening 15 minutes and Widnes came roaring back. Tries from Joe Mellor, two from Corey Thompson and one apiece from Stefan Marsh and Rhys Hanbury gave the Vikings a 24-6 half-time lead.
The second half did not get any better for the visitors as Marsh scored two more for his hat-trick, with Kevin Brown and Matt Whitley also going over. Hanbury added five conversions to round off a miserable evening for Hull FC.
The architect of the Vikings' fifth win out of six matches was skipper Kevin Brown, who is enjoying the form of his career to further press his claims for an England recall.
The visitors made a lively start by using their size and strength to punch holes in the Widnes defence and the pressure soon told as Pritchard took Danny Houghton's pass from dummy half to crash over for his first try in Super League on his first start for the club.
Hull continued to press but could not turn the pressure into more points, with the video referee disallowing scores by winger Fetuli Talanoa and two from second-rower Sika Manu, and it was against the run of play when the Vikings drew level on 14 minutes.
A perfectly-timed pass from Rhys Hanbury released centre Chris Dean, who was switched from the pack following the early loss of an injured Chris Bridge, and half-back Joe Mellor was on his inside to finish off the well-worked move, with Hanbury kicking the first of his five goals.
Hull were quickly back on the attack and threatening once more but Brown calmly intercepted Jordan Abdull's pass to turn defence into attack, and from the next play lofted the ball to the corner for Thompson to score his first try and give his side a lead they never looked like relinquishing.
With the Vikings confidence growing, they soon took complete control of the game with three further tries in the last 13 minutes of the first half.
Thompson plucked the ball out of the air in spectacular fashion to touch down Mellor's kick, centre Charly Runciman palmed the ball back from Brown's kick for Marsh to score his first try and more good work from Brown and second-rower Chris Houston got full-back Hanbury through a creaking Hull defence.
Hanbury kicked a second conversion as the home side left to a standing ovation at the break and the fans had plenty more to cheer as the Vikings turned the screw in the second half.
Brown then dummied his way over for his first try of the season to extend the lead to 30-6 before his long pass enabled Marsh to squeeze over for his second of the match.
Impressive young forward Whitley was also a deserved scorer after scything through the heart of the visitors' defence and there was still time for Marsh to complete his hat-trick after more impressive work from that man Brown.
