Hull FC 22-28 Salford: Red Devils complete double over Hull
Last Updated: 24/09/20 8:46pm
Krisnan Inu produced a 16-point haul to help Challenge Cup semi-finalists Salford complete the double over Hull with a 28-22 win on Thursday.
Inu, who scored the 1,000th point of his career in the Red Devils' Cup quarter-final win over Catalans Dragons a week ago, went over for two first-half tries and kicked four goals to ensure his side will carry momentum into their two games against Warrington next week.
Hull were much improved from the team that suffered a crushing 54-18 defeat at the hands of Salford in the first game back at Leeds in August but could not quite get over the top of Ian Watson's well-marshalled team.
Full-back Jamie Shaul, back in the Hull side after missing their 36-4 defeat by Wigan in the Challenge Cup a week earlier with a head injury, also scored two tries, bringing up his century for the club, but they were in vain.
Hull's interim head coach Andy Last was forced to play Carlos Tuimavave in the halves after Marc Sneyd was withdrawn due to Covid protocols while Watson introduced a new second row pairing in Oliver Roberts and debutant Jack Ormondroyd ahead of their Cup semi-final.
Salford, who were forced to play with 12 men for 10 minutes in the first half after full-back Dan Sarginson had been sin-binned for a high tackle on Shaul, had an early try from centre Kris Welham disallowed for a knock-on and they twice fell behind in the first 25 minutes.
Former Salford centre Josh Griffin combined with scrum-half Jake Connor to send Shaul over for his try and burly forwards Brad Fash and Ligi Sau produced some delicate hands to get substitute Andre Savelio over.
Connor kicked both conversions but Hull never looked comfortable against their Kevin Brown-inspired opponents.
Inu coasted over for the first of his two tries courtesy of smart work from Sarginson and used brute strength to add a second, brushing off the attempted tackle of three defenders to cross at the corner.
In between Inu's double, hooker Joey Lussick forced his way over from dummy half and Inu kicked all three conversions to give his side an 18-12 interval lead, and they quickly added to that in the second half.
Stand-off Tui Lolohea, who tormented the Black and Whites at Headingley, put a neat kick over their defence and the ball bounced kindly for right winger Rhys Williams to score a fourth try.
Shaul, who passed a head injury assessment to return to the action, gave his sided renewed hope when he collected Connor's pass to go in for his second try but the turning point came when he dropped Manu Mau's offload with the line beckoning.
Sarginson quickly took play upfield and from there Brown made the running for replacement hooker Andy Ackers to score his first try for the club.
Inu's fourth goal made it 28-12 but Hull second rower Jordan Lane set up a tense finale when he romped 60 metres for a solo try on 66 minutes, Connor's third goal cutting the gap to six points.
