Hull (12) 14
Tries: Raynor, Tony Goals: Tickle 3

Salford (6) 12
Tries: Smith, Goulding Goals: Wilshere 2

Hull held on in a tense finish to claim a narrow Super League home win over a determined Salford outfit.

Gareth Raynor gave Hull a 10th-minute lead but Salford grabbed the advantage when Jeremy Smith crossed for a try converted by John Wilshere.

Motu Tony restored Hull's lead, Danny Tickle converted and added two penalties on either side of the break.

Darrell Goulding's try, with Wilshere adding the extras, ensured a nervous finish but the home side edged it.

The victory is Hull's first at home for 16 weeks and goes some way towards easing the pressure on coach Richard Agar, who was given a vote of confidence on Thursday after presiding over just two victories in 12 outings.

Graeme Horne and Gareth Raynor were in fine form for the home side and the two combined for the opening try, scored by the latter after eight minutes following a neat ball from the former.

Referee Phil Bentham waved away any suggestions that Raynor may have stepped in touch before grounding his second try in as many weeks.

606: DEBATE Give your reaction to Hull's win over Salford

Salford hit back though when Super League man of the moment Richie Myler set up Smith with a slide-rule kick that caught the Hull defence flat-footed.

Wilshere succeeded where Tickle had earlier failed for Hull by adding the conversion to give the Reds a two-point lead.

Eight minutes before the interval, the advantage swung back in the home side's favour when Richard Horne dragged himself clear of the Salford defence before standing the ball up for full-back Tony to go over, with Tickle making no mistake on the conversion this time.

Another Tickle penalty on the 50-minute mark extended Hull's lead but this was soon wiped out when on-loan Wigan wing Goulding skipped in at the corner and Wilshere slotted over the conversion.

The home side received a late reprieve when Ratchford was pulled up for offside when he had scored after Tony made a horrendous error in allowing Smith's punt to bounce in front of him.

Hull coach Richard Agar

"It's frustrating but a relief (to win). We needed the two points. We know we've got some stuff to keep working on and fix up but they dug it out.

"It was a performance lacking a bit of confidence. We were very edgy in the second half. I thought we started reasonably brightly but as the scoreline got closer we got a bit edgy.

"I think we're a bit off saying 'that's it now we're going to on a winning run', we've got to keep working hard. We had a couple of chances that we should have undoubtedly put away."

Salford coach Shaun McRae:

"If you gave us points for effort you would give us maximum points. If you gave us points for intelligence and execution we might get a pass mark. I think that's what cost us.

"Defensively we were superb, I think we missed 10 tackles in the whole game and when you consider the amount of possession that Hull had and a two point margin, we have to take something out of it.

"We just weren't smart enough with the football. We weren't allowed to be in some respects. At the end of the day that will probably be the difference."

Hull: Tony, Broughton, G. Horne, Yeaman, Raynor, R. Horne, Thorman, Dowes, Lee, Radford, Burnett, Manu, Tickle.
Replacements: Houghton, King, Berrigan, Thackray.

Salford: Wilshere, Goulding, Ratchford, Turner, Henry, Smith, Myler, Cashmere, Alker, Stapleton, Sibbit, Littler, Swain.
Replacements: Paul, Jewitt, Leuluai, Sidlow.

Referee: P Bentham (Warrington)

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