Super League: Hull FC 45-14 Salford Red Devils

Jake Connor has now landed 28 Super League goals this season

Hull put last weekend's loss of their Challenge Cup crown behind them by running in seven tries against Salford.

Six of them came before the break as Hull turned round 37-0 up.

But all they got in the second half was a third try for winger Bureta Faraimo, who completed his hat-trick, while Greg Johnson, Derrell Olpherts and George Griffin all crossed for Salford.

Hull's other four first-half tries came from Jack Downs, Jack Logan, Hakim Miloudi, and full-back Jamie Shaul.

Jake Connor completed a personal haul of 17 points with seven conversions, a drop goal and a late penalty, while Rob Lui landed the second of his three conversion attempts for the Red Devils.

• Warrington Wolves 30-34 Castleford Tigers

• St Helens 26-4 Hull KR

• Leeds Rhinos 18-25 Huddersfield Giants

Hull had the points in the bag inside the opening 20 minutes thanks to Faraimo's first two tries and one apiece for second rower Downs and centre Logan.

Miloudi and Shaul then touched down either side of Connor's cheeky drop goal to settle the contest by half-time.

Salford outscored Hull after the break but still look seemingly destined for the Qualifiers after a sixth straight loss.

New Salford loan signings Greg Burke and Ed Chamberlain were not available but could play against parent side Widnes next week.

The injury-hit Black and Whites, who still won with plenty to spare, remain in fifth, two points behind fourth-placed Castleford - and within four of second-placed Wigan.

Although captain Danny Houghton, half-back Albert Kelly and second-rowers Dean Hadley and Sika Manu joined Hull's lengthy injury list in the narrow Challenge Cup defeat at St Helens, Lee Radford got another strong performance from his depleted team.

Hull coach Lee Radford:

"It's one of the most pleasing wins of the season. I expected some fatigue, not only physically but mentally as well. For the first 40 minutes there was no sign of that whatsoever. You wouldn't have guessed what we'd gone through on Sunday.

"We'll start building when we get some numbers back but at the moment we're fighting. The experience that some of the blokes are gaining now will hopefully make us stronger moving forward.

"We've got eight or nine blokes missing but there's eight or nine blokes gaining experience. We're not where we are because of our big players. We're where we are because of the job the lower numbers in our squad have done when they've come in. They've been outstanding.

"The difference between 2018 and 2017 is that we've not been put to bed by anybody. In every game we've played in we've fought and it's a real credit to the culture of the group."

Salford head coach Ian Watson:

"Every defeat puts you in a pressure situation and every week gets harder and harder.

"The worrying thing is we're continually coming up with these silly little errors.

"Our ball retention has to be gold and until we sort that out we're not going to compete against any side."

Hull FC: Shaul; Faraimo, Logan, Tuimavave, Miloudi; Connor, Harris; Taylor, Washbrook, Green, Downs, Minichiello, Westerman.

Interchanges: Fash, Litten, Paea, Matongo.

Salford: Littlejohn; Johnson, Welham, Sa'u, Olpherts; Lui, Shorrocks; Tasi, L Tomkins, Mossop, Griffin, Jones, Flanagan.

Interchanges: Kopczak, McCarthy, Nakubuwai, Wood.

Referee: Robert Hicks (RFL)