Super League: Hull FC 24-14 St Helens

Albert Kelly scored twice to take his tally for Hull to four tries this season following his cross-city move from KR

Albert Kelly's brace of tries helped Hull FC overcome a spirited St Helens side in a scrappy Super League encounter at the KCOM Stadium.

The first half ended 8-6 to Saints as a Dom Peyroux try and Mark Percival goals cancelled out Kelly's opener.

Percival extended the lead after Hull's Jansin Turgut was sent to the sin-bin.

However, Carlos Tuimavave crossed to drag the hosts back in front with an eight-point try and Kelly's second on the hooter capped it.

Saints prop Alex Walmsley slid in to challenge Tuimavave in the act of scoring, a penalty-conceding act which led referee Phil Bentham to offer the chance of an eight-point try with two goals which Marc Sneyd converted - in turn taking his tally to 500 points in Hull colours.

Hull are yet to truly hit the heights they reached last season, but this was a third win in four games for Lee Radford's side, and showed the virtue of adding the mercurial Kelly to their ranks.

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The Australian half-back is one of several former Hull KR players to cross the city and although there were potential concerns about his arrival given his suspension by Rovers last season for failing to return from Australia in time, his on-field value was evident.

His skills at the beginning and end of the game brought impressive tries, though the real spark for the game was Turgut, whose arm to the face of Walmsley ignited a fairly flat game into life in the second period.

Saints showed glimpses of their qualities, notably through half-back Theo Fages, Percival and James Roby, but they remain without a win since their opening week victory against Leeds.

Hull head coach Lee Radford told BBC Radio Humberside: "I thought it was a real physical, tough game, they came with a lot of desperation, having lost last week but I thought we matched their intensity like for like.

"I was over the moon with how we defended for a full 80-minute period, our defence has been huge and good all season. It's one of our benchmarks.

"Fluency will come and it was reward at the end for Albert Kelly, his push and genuineness was great for us."

St Helens head coach Keiron Cunningham: "If that was a penalty try, you're giving them every single week. That's two weeks in a row. We're getting some real tough calls.

"I thought we were immense. If we had same effort the last two weeks, we win those games comfortably.

"We were a bit clumsy with the ball in the second half but I can't fault the effort. I'm really pleased we got a really good response. There are a lot of good signs."

Hull FC: Shaul; Fonua, Tuimavave, Griffin, Talanoa; Kelly, Sneyd; Taylor, Houghton, Bowden, Manu, Minichiello, Thompson.

Replacements: Green, Washbrook, Turgut, Matongo.

St Helens: Makinson; Owens, Morgan, Percival, Swift; Fages, Wilkin; Walmsley, Roby, Douglas, Taia, Peyroux, Knowles.

Replacements: Amor, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Walker, Lee.

Referee: Phil Bentham (RFL).