Widnes Vikings 0 Hull 38

HULL gained ample revenge for the mauling they received back in March with a 38-0 victory over Widnes at the Select Security Stadium.

Vikings fans could even claim an aggregate win having won the previous game by a 40-point margin but it would be of little consolation.

Winger Fetuli Talanoa crossed for a hat-trick as his side registered seven tries in total without reply.

A mini injury crisis in the threequarters saw Widnes coach Denis Betts select youngsters Ed Chamberlain and Ryan Ince in combination on the right flank.

Prop forward Jay Chapelhow was also given a run up front with Connor Farrell coming in on the bench.

Rhys Hanbury, Stefan Marsh and Chris Dean were all sidelined after picking up head knocks in the 26-10 loss to Catalans Dragons in Perpignan five days earlier.

Widnes enjoyed the better of the opening stages and the first try-scoring opportunity came their way but Ince was bundled into touch.

A Lloyd White break set up another attacking raid but this time Chamberlain was halted by a fine Scott Taylor tackle a metre from the try line.

The Hull line had another close shave when a Joe Mellor cross-kick rebounded off an upright and Kevin Brown couldn’t quite ground the loose ball.

Inevitably, the visitors got their turn to exert pressure and proved more clinical.

After several sets on the Vikings line, the dam finally broke as burly stand-off Jordan Abdull bullocked his way over on 22 minutes for a self-converted try.

Six minutes later, after a couple of penalties had gifted them field position, Hull increased their lead to 10-0 when winger Talanoa finished acrobatically at the left corner.

Widnes’ backline injury curse struck again on 28 minutes when Chamberlain left the field with Matt Whitley moving into the centres.

Lee Radford’s side’s extra power was beginning to tell and powerhouse centre Mahe Fonua forced his way over from dummy-half for his team’s third try with Abdull adding his second goal.

Having finally secured possession, Widnes gifted another six-pointer to the opposition when Macgraff Leuluai’s stray pass was scooped up by Talanoa who strolled in from half-way to make it 22-0 at half-time.

The Vikings went close four minutes into the second half but left centre Corey Thompson’s effort at the corner flag was ruled out by the video referee.

Just a few minutes later, Widnes were out of luck again with the ‘man in the van’ adjudicating White had lost the ball as he plunged over from dummy-half.

Almost inevitably, the Airlie Birds immediately swept upfield and winger Steve Michaels outjumped Patrick Ah Van to score from a high kick to make it 28-0.

Further touchdowns from Dean Hadley and Talanoa – his hat-trick score – completed the rout.

Widnes: Mellor; Ince, Chamberlain, Thompson, Ah Van; Brown, Heremaia; Burke, White, Buchanan, Whitley, Houston, Cahill. Subs: Leuluai, Farrell, J Chapelhow, Manuokafoa.

Hull: Shaul; Michaels, Fonua, Yeaman, Talanoa; Abdull, Tuimavave; Taylor, Houghton, Watts, Manu, Minichiello, Ellis. Subs: Green, Hadley, Bowden, Pritchard.

Half-Time: 0-22

Referee: Ben Thaler

Attendance: 4,359