Leigh Centurions 22 Hull FC 64: Andre Savelio’s hat-trick leads the way for rampant Hull Yorkshire News

Given the number of injuries in their ranks, Airlie Birds boss Brett Hodgson had kept his last 18 players for the trip to Leigh Sports Village but, as the old saying goes, you only need 13 to play.

Clearly, FC still had great firepower in their ranks as they brutally inflicted more misery on the last Super League club, leading the woeful Leigh to an 11th loss in a row.

Second-line Andre Savelio scored a hat-trick of tries, while there were more efforts for winger Adam Swift (2), Mahe Fonua, Jake Connor, Manu Ma’u, Bureta Faraimo, Connor Wynne, Jack Brown and the brilliant Chris Satae.

The majestic winger Connor ran the show, toying with the hapless Leigh constantly until they finally lost their patience and had to depart for an HIA in the 49th minute.

At that point, his team already had a 42-10 lead and Leigh was already gone.

However, usually, Connor passed his EIS and went back to playing with them some more.

The 20-year-old winger Wynne made the most of his rare opportunity, playing in the unfamiliar position of center but showing a lot of confidence early on with some excellent carries.

Similarly, Academy product mainstay Jack Brown did well from the bench and there was also a debut from Fijian winger Mitieli Vulikijapani.

Things started off brilliantly for the visitors. After Ben Reynolds spilled Hull’s kickoff, Leigh’s showdown compounded his mistake by failing to deal with Connor when the England international slipped away too easily for the first down in the next set.

Leigh responded quickly when Jordan Lane was a little late to Joe Mellor and Liam Hood walked over before getting a late volley for James Bell to launch, Ryan Brierley converting.

However, it was only a brief respite as Hodgson’s side quickly found its groove and simply proved too powerful for the hosts.

Satae, the mainstay fresh from signing a new two-year deal this week, continued his immense form with some thunderous carries, often finished with volleys that only added to Leigh’s pain.

As always, Ligi Sao wasn’t far behind with his brute force poking holes in the middle and the likes of Connor, Josh Reynolds and Marc Sneyd had a field day playing on the back of it all.

Swift scored the first of her double by brilliantly hitting the touchline in the tightest of spaces after Fonua had squeezed a pass in the last inning.

Satae’s latest wave of barrels helped get them moving for a wonderful fourth down, Ma’u finished off but Wynne, Danny Houghton, Josh Reynolds and Fonua played their part.

Brierely missed the bunt with a penalty and was later sent off entirely, Leigh’s players appealed that Josh Reynolds had hit him late.

There was nothing in it. Although Ben Reynolds appeared to aim a head butt at his namesake in the tumult that followed.

In the resulting set, it was a flat pass from Josh Reynolds that he saw Wynne do brilliantly to slip into Faraimo.

Leigh was unlucky in some cases; Referee James Child missed a flagrant forward pass from Sneyd in preparation for his next Fonua try and the scrum-half got away with another before Savelio’s first goal just before half-time.

However, the home defense was abysmal as they allowed Swift to run 60 meters without touching and they were lucky enough to be just 36-6 down at half-time as Sneyd unusually missed all of his first four conversion attempts.

Connor parted ways once again just after halftime to give Wynne a well deserved try and Reynolds was soon into action before Swift punched them again to help Savelio get ready for his second.

Leigh responded with a nice solo effort from Brierley, who then added a second and 150 for the club.

But with Savelio completing his hat-trick and Satae breaking in as well, it meant little. This was Hull’s afternoon.

Leigh Centurions: Brierley; Mullen, Hellewell, Thornley, Sa’u; Reynolds, Mellor; Mason, Hood, Ioane, McCarthy, Gee, Bell. Substitutes: Peats, Peteru, Wildie, Russell.

Hull FC: Connor; Faraimo, Wynne, Fonua, Swift; Reynolds, Swift; Sao, Houghton, Satae, Savelio, Ma’u, Lane. Substitutions: Johnstone, Fash, Brown, Vulikijapani.

Referee: James Child (Dewsbury)