Hull FC verdict: Black and Whites stun Challenge Cup finalists Wigan Warriors

Hull FC held firm to claim their sixth successive home win with a 31-22 win over Wigan Warriors at the MKM Stadium.

Here’s the verdict.

After omitting him from his line-up last week at St Helens, Brett Hodgson made the decision to bring Luke Gale back into the side for the clash with the Challenge Cup finalists.

The scrum-half will have been keen to make a point at the MKM Stadium and he helped to get Hull off to the perfect start as they got over the line early.

Shifting the ball left, Gale and Jake Connor combined with some quick hands to get Adam Swift, another who was overlooked last week, over in the corner and that set the tone for a dominant start in which FC scored three without reply.

Connor was in clearly in a confident mood and the full-back had a huge say in Hull’s second, too, taking a sublime offload from Ligi Sao before putting Darnell McIntosh over the line with a precise cut-out pass.

The Black and Whites were firing on all cylinders and Swift managed to get himself over the line once more after some quick hands from Connor.

However, a knock-on from Carlos Tuimavave in his own half gave Wigan the field position they craved and they made FC pay for their mistake on their first foray up the field, touching down through John Bateman.

Connor picked up yet another assist as he finished a fine break from Jordan Lane by putting Josh Reynolds over under the sticks.

Wigan weren’t about to let Hull have it all their own way, though and Liam Marshall ensured they went in at the break just a score behind the Black and Whites.

FC surrendered their lead in the second half as a Harry Smith breakaway allowed Bevan French to touch down under the posts.

But Carlos Tuimavave was on hand to restore it by