Hull FC 4-38 Warrington: Wolves crash seven tries past home side
Last Updated: 12/03/20 11:25pm
Warrington's long wait for an away Super League win ended in emphatic fashion as they breezed to a 38-4 victory at injury-hit Hull, who parted company with head coach Lee Radford immediately after the match.
Steve Price's side had not won away from home since defeating London Broncos last July but picked up two easy points after a tepid Hull display.
The defeat proved to be Radford's last match in charge, with the club announcing soon after the full-time whistle the 40-year-old's seven-year reign was over.
Blake Austin, who ran in four tries in the corresponding fixture last season, continued his love affair at the KCOM Stadium by opening the scoring once again in the fourth minute.
The Black and Whites' injury woes continued as winger Mahe Fonua picked up a rib problem for a side who already had eight first-team players missing for the clash and it showed.
Tom Lineham scored against his former side as Warrington led 12-0 in a first half bereft of real quality but the visitors turned on the style with five tries in the second period.
Gareth Widdop celebrated his 31st birthday with two tries, while Anthony Gelling, Ben Murdoch-Masila and Austin's second score posted back-to-back wins for Warrington for the first time since last May.
Kieran Buchanan grabbed a late consolation for Hull, who have lost four of their last five league matches.
Hull started sloppily with Chris Satae knocking on with the opening carry of the match, which was shortly followed by a Josh Bowden error to hand the Wire strong field position.
Warrington grabbed the initiative following individual brilliance from Austin, with the half-back jinking past the Hull defence before stretching over the whitewash.
It was not until the midway point of the first half for the home side to finally show some attacking interest as they forced two goal-line drop-outs, but neither came to anything.
Both teams struggled to create chances but Lineham profited from a knock-on by his former team to dive in the corner three minutes before the break to extend Warrington's lead to 12-0.
Carlos Tuimavave threatened to get the home side on the scoreboard when he picked off a loose Warrington pass to sprint clear but was halted 20 metres short of the try-line by Ben Currie.
Hull could not convert their opportunity and the visitors made them pay with a superb piece of play from Toby King.
The visitors worked down the left flank before the Warrington centre took on three home defenders and then found Widdop with a terrific offload to score unopposed.
Austin was at the heart of the Wolves' fourth score as he created the opening for Gelling to record his first Warrington try and put the away team into a 20-0 lead with 23 minutes remaining.
Warrington effectively sealed victory when Murdoch-Masila found a gap in the home defence and power under the posts from 20 metres.
More slack defending from the hosts gifted Price's side their sixth try of the evening as Widdop crossed once again before Austin bulldozed his way over for his second try.
Buchanan ensured Hull got on the scoresheet with the final play of the match but it did little to affect the outcome, and nor could it save head coach Radford's job.