Super League: Huddersfield Giants 0-19 Hull FC

Former Salford Red Devils half-back Marc Sneyd kicked seven points on his debut for Hull FC

Hull FC started the 2015 season with a convincing win at Huddersfield Giants.

An unconverted Fetuli Talanoa try and a Marc Sneyd penalty gave the visitors a 6-0 lead after an even but cagey first half.

After the break, two tries from Jamie Shaul were both converted by debutant Sneyd to put Hull in full control.

Giants struggled to impose themselves on the game, Sneyd adding a drop goal to further extend the away side's lead and seal a fully-deserved win.

Full-back Shaul clinched Hull's first win at the John Smith's Stadium for six years with two tries in a crucial seven-minute spell in the second half.

But the hero was former Salford and Castleford scrum-half Sneyd, who went a long way to demonstrating that his wonderful year with the Tigers in 2014 was not a one-off as he helped create two of his side's three tries and kicked seven points.

Huddersfield had not lost their first game of the season since 2008.

Talanoa finished a neat move involving Sneyd and Kirk Yeaman to open the scoring the scoring mid-way through the first half.

Sneyd, playing his first game for the club since joining from Salford, then played in Shaul with a grubber kick for the first of the visitors' second-half tries, but the second was an impressive solo effort from the full-back.

Hull coach Lee Radford had been made the bookmakers' pre-season favourite to become the first coach to get the sack this season but, after seeing such a solid, disciplined defensive performance from his men, he ended the first weekend of the new season beaming with pride.

Huddersfield Giants coach Paul Anderson said:

"We never really gave ourselves a chance. We lacked a bit of cohesion but, for 60 minutes, there was nothing in it.

"Hull were a bit more clinical than we were. They took their three chances.

"Defensively, for big parts of the game, we looked all right but offensively we looked rusty. It was maybe a reality check."

Hull FC boss Lee Radford told BBC Radio Humberside:

"I think I'm second favourite now to get the sack. Obviously it's really pleasing to get off to a win, but more pleasing I suppose to keep them nullified.

"Without anyone being spectacular, everyone was really astute at their job. We were very gritty and everyone was astute with what we delivered.

"Probably the most pleasing aspect was the team performance, from 1 to 17. It was good to see the way we saw the game out."

Huddersfield Giants: Murphy; McGillvary, Cudjoe, Wardle, Broughton; Brough, Ellis; Huby, Robinson, Kopczak, Ferres, Hughes, Bailey.

Replacements: Crabtree, Lunt, Ta'ai, Mullally.

Hull FC: Shaul; Lineham, Sa, Yeaman, Talanoa; Pryce, Sneyd; Paea, Houghton, Watts, Minichiecllo, Ellis, Westerman.

Replacements: Whiting, Green, Bowden, Thompson.

Attendance: 7,737.

Referee: Tim Roby (RFL),