Lee Radford pleased after Hull claim back-to-back wins
Last Updated: 11/04/15 12:12am
Lee Radford declared himself happy with Hull FC's Easter haul after his side beat Widnes 22-8 to build on their impressive victory over Super League champions St Helens.
Tom Lineham was the hero for the Black and Whites as he went over early on before scoring two scintillating interception tries to make it two hat-tricks in as many weeks.
The winger's treble at Castleford was in a losing cause but he ensured he settled a poor contest on Friday night at an uncharacteristically flat KC Stadium.
"As far as the quality of the game goes, it looked like two teams that have obviously played three games in eight days," said Hull head coach Radford.
"In hindsight, with the six players they brought in who didn't participate on Monday, they should have looked the more energetic.
Credit to our boys, they've had a real go. To take four points out of a possible six is really pleasing, obviously after getting off to a poor start against Hull KR.
Lee Radford
"But credit to our boys, they've had a real go. To take four points out of a possible six is really pleasing, obviously after getting off to a poor start against Hull KR."
But Radford was not completely happy after watching his side make it back-to-back wins for the first time since last June.
"There's some real frustration with the refereeing decisions tonight - I was scratching my head at one or two of them which could quite easily have cost us," he added.
"We were fatigued, Widnes were fatigued and I think (referee) Richard (Silverwood) was slightly fatigued as well with some of them decisions. It was not his best performance."
Short straw
While Hull turned it around after losing their first game over Easter, Widnes did the opposite as they failed to build on their fine victory over Warrington.
The Vikings drew the short straw as they went to Catalans on Easter Monday, a match they lost 32-16 after resting a number of players.
But head coach Denis Betts was keen not to overplay the disadvantage of travelling to Hull just days later, although he admitted the gruelling schedule could have a lasting effect.
"There's no good moaning about it," he said. "Somebody has got to do this, but it's tough.
"We've had some great crowds on Good Friday and Easter Monday. Is that why we do it? Of course it is.
"But the knock-on effect from these three games for us will bleed into the next two or three weeks unless we do the right thing.
"Me wanting to get them on the training ground and do stuff with them is not the right thing. We need to get some energy back in them and give them a bit of a break. Our game is not far off."
He added: "It does make sense that we should have had a home game after going to Catalans, but we've worked in rugby league long enough to know that common sense doesn't really apply."