Hull see off Reds threat

Westerman: star of the show

Hull stopped Salford's play-off surge in its tracks with a 52-16 victory at the KC Stadium.

The Reds had moved into contention after four wins in five games and would have gone above the Black and Whites into eighth with a win.

But that never looked likely and new coach Matt Parish - who only landed in England from Australia on Friday afternoon - will now know the size of the task he has ahead of him.

England hopeful Joe Westerman was the star of the show for Hull, filling in at stand-off and producing a stunning display, while England winger Tom Briscoe scored an impressive hat-trick.

Hull stormed into an early lead and never looked like being hauled back.

Westerman, deputising at number six owing to Sam Obst's injury, made the first of several clean breaks which created a four-on-two situation that was eventually finished off by Danny Tickle, with the same player adding the extras.

Salford had done little wrong at that stage but, when Daniel Holdsworth planted the restart out on the full, it was a sign of how their performance was about to turn.

Three minutes later Hull scored their second try.

Westerman's short pass sent Cameron Phelps bursting down the right and, after some neat hands by prop pair Sam Moa and Mark O'Meley, play went left through Richard Horne who fed Briscoe in the corner.

Salford were unable to stop Hull's momentum and they scored a third try not long after, with Jordan Turner making it 10 for the season after Danny Houghton's long pass allowed Westerman and Phelps to cause more damage.

A rare Salford foray into the Hull half saw Mark Henry narrowly fail to take in Holdsworth's chip over the top, and Hull quickly punished them as they went in again.

It was their fourth score and the fourth which Westerman helped create, with the former Castleford man holding the ball up enough for Tickle to come into the line at the right time and scorch under the posts.

Salford were looking a beaten team and, after Henry had illegally hauled down Phelps to stop him going in, Phelps created a three-man overlap which Briscoe finished off to give Hull a 28-0 half-time lead.

Tickle lost the ball as he crossed the line under pressure from Stefan Ratchford at the start of the second half, before Westerman got the try his performance deserved in the 48th minute.

Towering

His towering kick to the right found Richard Whiting and, after the winger leapt over Jodie Broughton, he palmed the ball back inside to Westerman who had followed up his own kick to score.

Jodie Broughton, who had two loan spells with Hull, then wriggled around Whiting to get a Salford consolation, before Turner, a former Salford player, got his second when he again made use of good work on the right to step around Luke Patten and score.

Briscoe then scored the try of the night, spying an opening and going the length of the field, before Danny Washbrook bundled over from close range as Hull cut loose.

Vinnie Anderson and Chris Nero helped make the scoreline more respectable for the Reds, but they never threatened a comeback.