Super League: Salford Red Devils 42-14 Hull FC - Ken Sio scores four tries for Salford
- Published
Ken Sio's four-try haul takes his Super League tally to 14 tries this season
Betfred Super League |
|---|
Salford (12) 42 |
Tries: Sio 4, Atkin, Livett, Burgess Goals: Inu 7 |
Hull FC (8) 14 |
Tries: Sao, Houghton Goals: Sneyd 3 |
Ken Sio scored four tries as Salford Red Devils severely dented Hull FC's play-off hopes in Super League.
Ligi Sao put Hull ahead but Sio crossed twice to help give the hosts a 12-8 half-time lead at the AJ Bell Stadium.
Danny Houghton's score edged the Black and Whites back in front, but the Red Devils dominated the final quarter.
Chris Atkin, Harvey Livett and Joe Burgess all crossed before winger Sio completed his hat-trick and then bagged a fourth score late on.
Salford had lost their previous two games, to struggling Leigh Centurions and league leaders Catalans Dragons, but are now assured of a place in the top flight next season.
Hull, who began the day in eighth place, started purposefully as Sao cut through the Salford defence inside the opening four minutes, but the Airlie Birds let their opponents back into the game.
Sio's first in the corner levelled the scores and then, after a Marc Sneyd penalty inched Hull two points ahead, the Australian ran onto and gathered his own grubber kick to give the Red Devils a half-time advantage.
Richard Marshall's side found themselves behind again when Sneyd's kick through rebounded off a post and Houghton pounced on the loose ball.
But the Red Devils crossed five times in the final 23 minutes - with Krisnan Inu flawless from the kicking tee - to wrestle control of the game and consign Hull to a sixth defeat in seven outings.
Salford coach Richard Marshall: "Hull have ambitions of being one of the top teams in the competition, so to win in the way we did was very pleasing.
"I am ecstatic because we've had a tough season and to dominate a team like Hull was testament to the players.
"Attacking-wise, it was our best performance of the season.
"This group of players have got some character and I am a proud coach. It's been a tough week and to score that many points against that class opposition was brilliant."
Hull coach Brett Hodgson: "What really disappointed me was that we capitulated in the last 20.
"We are all hurting at the moment. It was really disappointing.
"It's definitely back to the drawing board, but we have got to find a way through that lack of confidence.
"It's difficult to point out what exactly went wrong. We lacked resilience, which is something we've not lacked all season."
On the club's play-off hopes: "We are too far from where we need to be.
"While there's a mathematical chance we have to make sure we win every game. If we play like we played today we are not going to be there."
Salford Red Devils: Escare, Sio, Inu, Sarginson, Burgess, Lolohea, Hingano, Ormondroyd, Atkin, Johnson, Livett, Robson, Burke (capt).
Interchanges: Luckley, Roberts, Lannon, Addy.
Hull FC: Connor, Swift, Scott, Wynne, Faraimo, McNamara, Sneyd (capt), Satae, Houghton, Sao, Savelio, Ma'u, Lane.
Interchanges: Bowden, Fash, Fonua, Johnstone.