10-try Saints atone for cup loss by thrashing Hull

Konrad Hurrell (centre) scored for St Helens on his 100th Super League appearance

Betfred Super League

St Helens (24) 58

Tries: Makinson, Lomax, Blake 2, Bell, Batchelor, Percival, Hurrell, Sironen, Welsby Goals: Percival 6, Bennison 3

Hull FC (0) 0

St Helens bounced back from their Challenge Cup exit as they thrashed Hull FC to go top of Super League.

The hosts led through Tommy Makinson crossing in the corner while Jonny Lomax touched down soon after.

Waqa Blake and James Bell went over to extend Saints lead and Joe Batchelor ran in a fifth try after half-time.

Mark Percival, Konrad Hurrell and Curtis Sironen added to Hulls woes as Blakes second broke the 50-point mark before Jack Welsby added a 10th try.

Saints are now top of a tight table on points difference from second-placed Wigan and Catalans who drop from first to third.

Hull came into the match off the back of sacking head coach Tony Smith with half-back Faamanu Brown and full-back Tex Hoy following him in leaving the club.

Richie Myler also took over as director of rugby prior to the trip to the Totally Wicked Stadium during a chaotic period of change for the Super League strugglers, but interim coaches Simon Grix and Francis Cummins could not avoid Hulls seventh defeat in eight league games.

St Helens had suffered a chastening loss to the Wire in the Challenge Cup quarter-final on Sunday after a second half capitulation against Sam Burgess side, but there was to be no repeat in a resolute performance where they rarely looked threatened.

Their opener came in stylish fashion as a succession of passes, starting with Lomaxs offload, eventually saw Hurrell feed Makinson to touch down.

Hull FC were carved open again inside the opening quarter of an hour as Sione Matautia sent Lomax through with ease while some quick hands under pressure saw Saints keep the ball alive to send Blake through for their third.

Bell soon weaved his way past a dejected Hull defence to make it 24-0 at the break.

Saints picked up from where they left off in the second half as Lomax sent Batchelor through with a move straight off the training ground.

Lomax teed up another Saints try as he set Percival up to follow up his fine work with the boot and Hurrell later continued the rout on his 100th Super League appearance.

Sironen crashed over just before the hour mark and Blake ran in virtually unopposed for his second before Welsby cut in to wrap up a thumping victory.

St Helens: Bennison; Makinson, Hurrell, Percival, Blake; Welsby, Lomax; Matautia, Mbye, Lees, Whitley, Batchelor, Knowles

Interchanges: Bell, Sironen, Delaney, Davies.

Hull FC: Moy; McIntosh, Litten, Sutcliffe, Martin; Charles, Smith; Eseese, Houghton, Pele, Lane, Scott, Cator.

Interchanges: Balmforth, Gardiner, Jebson, Laidlaw.

Referee: Tom Grant.