When Hull FC went to the Huddersfield Giants and won 19-0 on the opening day of the Super League XX season, some were suggesting this could finally be their year.
After several seasons of top-flight under-achievement, it did look as if the Black and White had turned a corner.
With a new and exciting half-back partnership in Leon Pryce and Marc Sneyd and the arrival of powerful Australian back-row forward Mark Minichiello, they looked to have far more of a potent attacking edge.
But after that promising first day at the John Smith’s Stadium, the old failings began to re-appear.
In the next six top-flight fixtures just one win was recorded as injuries to key players began to take their toll - 33-22 at home to Catalans Dragons – with the pressure mounting on head coach Lee Radford.
Criticism of the KC Stadium chief reached fever pitch following their 20-6 home loss to arch rivals Hull KR over Easter.
But since then the Airlie Birds have recovered to notch up Super League triumphs at injury-hit St Helens and at home to Widnes Vikings, although they still find themselves second bottom of the table at the halfway stage.
They followed this up with Sunday’s 34-12 Challenge Cup success at Sheffield Eagles to make it three wins on the trot, and with influential goalkicking half-back Sneyd returning after a month on the sidelines with an ankle injury, Hull have been handed a timely boost ahead of their bid to make it four out of four and complete an impressive double over the Giants.
Huddersfield Giants Under 16s secured an excellent 26-16 triumph at Wigan Warriors.
Victory was secured thanks to tries from loose-forward Ronan Costello, stand-off Finley Hickey, wingers Drew judge-Clark and Jack Duggan and centre Jake Wardle. Second-rower Jack Richardson (2) and hooker Jamie Greenwood added the goals.
