Super League: Hull FC beat fierce rivals Hull KR 28-0 at KC Stadium

Hull FC produced their best performance of the season to deny Hull KR a piece of history and put a major dent in their rivals' playoff hopes.

The ninth-placed Robins went into the contest on a wet night at the KC Stadium chasing a hat-trick of wins over the Black and Whites for the first time in the Super League era, but they were left smarting from a 28-0 defeat which leaves their top-eight aspirations hanging by a thread.

The Airlie Birds dominated a full-blooded first half and barely allowed Rovers into their 40, although they only had tries from Fetuli Talanoa and Setaimata Sa and two Jordan Rankin goals to show for their efforts.

Tom Lineham settled any nerves Hull had on 45 minutes and the result was beyond doubt when Jordan Thompson crashed over, with Lineham completing a resounding win with an interception try.

It was a typically frenetic start to the derby with ferocious tackling and over-exuberance resulting in numerous early errors.

The hosts drew first blood on 10 minutes after a penalty gave them good field position, Richard Horne and Kirk Yeaman combining to put Talanoa over in the corner.

Backed by a vociferous home crowd, the Black and Whites were celebrating again in the 19th minute and the try owed much to Rankin's composure. He controlled a poor pass by Danny Houghton with his instep before feeding Sa and standing back to watch the big centre power his way across the line.

Rankin landed his first kick of the night to give Hull a 10-0 lead, one they were full value for amid a passionate and controlled first-half performance led by captain Gareth Ellis.

Rovers failed to launch a meaningful attack and lacked discipline in the opening 40 minutes, with another penalty allowing Rankin to kick a two-pointer from 35 metres out on the stroke of the break.

Front foot

The Robins began the second period on the front foot and forced the first drop out of the night after Jamie Shaul was forced to put Kris Keating's kick dead.

Unfortunately for the visitors and their strong travelling contingent behind the posts, Josh Hodgson, playing in his last Hull derby before leaving to continue his career in the NRL, lost control of the ball trying to force a pass.

Another error by Neville Costigan in his own 10 metres gifted the Black and Whites possession and they made him pay as Aaron Heremaia took a pass by his ankles, laid the ball on to Sa who in turn fed Lineham to dive over.

Yeaman was at the heart of a melee in the aftermath of the try and that only served to fire Hull up even more.

They scored again through Thompson on the hour mark after he capitalised on a half break by Heremaia. Rankin added the extras to make it 22-0 and it appeared as if that would be how it finished as both sides struggled to keep hold of the ball in increasingly greasy conditions.

But Lineham plucked a Keating pass out of the sky and raced 90 metres to round off the scoring six minutes from time.