St Helens bounced back in style after their Challenge Cup exit, delivering a commanding 58-0 victory over Hull FC in a one-sided Super League encounter.
St Helens wasted no time asserting their dominance, with Tommy Makinson crossing the line early on, followed by Jonny Lomax extending the lead. Waqa Blake and James Bell also contributed to the onslaught, leaving Hull FC struggling to keep pace.
Joe Batchelor added to Hull’s misery with a try shortly after the break, setting the stage for Mark Percival, Konrad Hurrell, and Curtis Sironen to further widen the gap. Blake’s second try pushed St Helens past the 50-point mark, with Jack Welsby sealing the victory with a 10th try.
With this win, St Helens climb to the top of a closely-contested table, narrowly edging out Wigan and Catalans on points difference.
Hull FC faced a challenging week, parting ways with head coach Tony Smith and key players Fa’amanu Brown and Tex Hoy. Interim coaches Simon Grix and Francis Cummins struggled to halt Hull’s downward spiral, with this defeat marking their seventh loss in eight league games.
Despite coming off a disappointing Challenge Cup quarter-final loss, St Helens displayed resilience and determination, rarely looking threatened throughout the match. Their coordinated plays and swift passing left Hull FC’s defence in shambles, allowing them to dominate from start to finish.
Grix acknowledged the scoreboard didn’t reflect Hull FC’s effort, especially from the young players. “We came undone through inexperience against a relentless St Helens team,” he said. “We need to elevate our effort and talent to compete at this level.”
St Helens Lineup: Bennison; Makinson, Hurrell, Percival, Blake; Welsby, Lomax; Mata’utia, Mbye, Lees, Whitley, Batchelor, Knowles
Interchanges: Bell, Sironen, Delaney, Davies
Hull FC Lineup: Moy; McIntosh, Litten, Sutcliffe, Martin; Charles, Smith; Ese’ese, Houghton, Pele, Lane, Scott, Cator
Interchanges: Balmforth, Gardiner, Jebson, Laidlaw
Referee: Tom Grant
Credit: BBC Sport
