Warrington Wolves battered Hull FC at the KCOM Stadium to record their first away win since July and move two points behind league leaders Wigan. Jack Walker analyses Thursday night’s action.
MATCH TIMELINE
| Minute | Scoring Play | Score |
| 4th | Try Blake Austin (Warrington) | Warrington 0-4 |
| 5th | Goal Stefan Ratchford (Warrington) | Warrington 0-6 |
| 37th | Try Tom Lineham (Warrington) | Warrington 0-10 |
| 38th | Goal Stefan Ratchford (Warrington) | Warrington 0-12 |
| 48th | Try Gareth Widdop (Warrington) | Warrington 0-16 |
| 57th | Try Anthony Gellling (Warrington) | Warrington 0-20 |
| 59th | Try Ben Murdoch-Masila (Warrington) | Warrington 0-24 |
| 61st | Goal Stefan Ratchford (Warrington) | Warrington 0-26 |
| 69th | Try Gareth Widdop (Warrington) | Warrington 0-30 |
| 70th | Goal Stefan Ratchford (Warrington) | Warrington 0-32 |
| 71st | Try Blake Austin (Warrington) | Warrington 0-36 |
| 73rd | Goal Gareth Widdop (Warrington) | Warrington 0-38 |
| 80th | Keiron Buchanan (Hull) | Warrington 4-38 |
MATCH SUMMARY
Keiron Buchanan’s last-minute try saved Hull FC from a wooden spoon against Warrington, but didn’t save Lee Radford’s job – the Hull board announced his departure shortly after the final whistle.
“We had to make a change because of the home form. The pressure has become too great and therefore I have had to make that change.” said Chief Executive Adam Pearson.
Warrington were the better side from start to finish, especially Blake Austin crossed first and last for his side at the KCOM as the Wolves mauled FC in every department.
The away side never looked back from Blake Austin’s third-minute try, but FC did well to hold them to just a two-score lead at the break – ex-Black and White Tom Lineham crossing just three minutes before the interval.
Not for the first time this season, Hull made mistake after mistake on home soil, one of which was punished by Lineham used the wet conditions to slide over in the corner as the Wolves lead by twelve.
The hosts, who were missing Mahe Fonua to a rib injury, left the field to boos at the mid-point in the game – and worse was to follow in the second half.
Gareth Widdop scored two second-half tries as his speed left Hull floundering not once but twice, while Austin added his second and Ben Murdoch-Masila capped his 100th Super League appearance by going over underneath the sticks.
And the icing was put on the cake by Anthony Gelling, who scored on his return to the side after missing the last four games following his arrest in Widnes last month.
Hull have now lost four of their last five Super League games and with a new Head Coach yet to be appointed, a season that promised so much is already fading away.
GAME HIGHLIGHT – LINEHAM’S FIRST TRY
Leading by a single-score margin is barely a lead at all in Super League, so when Tom Lineham decided to drop to the floor and slide the last five metres to avoid two onrushing defenders to give his side a two-score lead, the game was given its course.
Gifted possession inside Hull’s half, the Wolves moved and passed quickly to find Lineham who, with nowhere to go on the touchline, used his footballing brain and took advantage of the wet surface to glide over the whitewash with a piece of true brilliance.
SQUADS
Hull FC: Shaul, Fonua, Tuimavave, Griffin, Buchanan, Kelly, Sneyd, Taylor, Houghton, Satae, Jones, Lane, Bowden.
Replacements: Brown, Johnstone, Matongo, Fash.
Warrington Wolves: Ratchford, Lineham, Gelling, King, Charnley, Austin, Widdop, Hill, Walker, Cooper, Currie, Murdoch-Masila, J. Clark.
Replacements: D. Clark, Philbin, Mamo, Akauola.
Referee: Chris Kendall (RFL).
