super League's third placed Hull FC travelled to the DW Stadium to take on fourth placed Wigan Warriors. A win for either side would lift them level on points with top placed Warrington Wolves and serve as a massive boost in the fight for the top four.

All the pre-match talk was of the return of the prodigal son, Sam Tomkins, who would start the game from the bench for Shaun Wanes side.

Hull FC, the leagues form side, were out to spoil the Tomkins party,

Mark Sneyd opened the scoring after just three minutes as the visitors took an early 6-0 lead. The Wigan defence fell apart allowing the FC scrum half to dance to the line from twenty metres out. He added the extras himself for a great start.

On nine minutes it was a second for the visitors, stunning the home support. The ball was moved right through the five pairs of hands before Steve Michaels went over on his knees in the corner. Sneyd missed the conversion.

A suicidal Wigan pass on fourteen gifted another FC try. Dan Sarginson passed behind his team-mate on the Wigan forty. The ball went to ground and was picked up by Mahe Fonua who switched the pass back inside to Scott Taylor allowing him to run to the line without a Wigan hand being laid upon him. Sneyd kicked the goal which saw his side 16-0 ahead after sixteen minutes.

A Sneyd penalty on twenty-two extended the lead, but Wigan went in for their first try, through Oliver Gildart, on twenty-five when he spent through four defenders to score wide left. Matty Smith missed the conversion leaving the Warriors still three scores behind.

The two sides traded blows for the remainder of the half but neither line was breached.

On fifty-three John Bateman got the opening try of the second half to further reduced the arrears when he went from acting half back to scoot ten metres and score. Smith kicked the extra two for 10-18.

Five minutes later and Sam Tomkins crowned his return with a try, sliding over the line and managing to ground the ball on the line after throwing the dummy. Smith kicked from wide near the touchline and with twenty minutes left in the clock there were just two points in the game.

On sixty-five Jamie Shaul scored the try of the game with a sensational sixty metre run off a Liam Watts offload after turning the Wigan defence inside out to score one-handed before being dragged into touch. Sneyd kicked the extras from wide right to,re-establish the eight point lead.

Just three minutes had passed before the Airlie Birds went in again. Leon Pryce made the ground before passing to Fetuli Talanoa to go over in the corner, grounding in full flight. Sneyd was unable to add the extras but Hull were well and truly in the driving seat at 28-16.

A Hull penalty after Sean O'Loughlin held down Gareth Ellis allowed Sneyd to kick a two-pointer and seal the Hull win.

This was another great performance from Hull. They had a blip either side of half-time but controlled the beginning and end of the game scoring some great tries and muscling up in defence. Wigan were, at times, awful in defence and Shaun Wane will be looking at ways to plug the gaps ahead of next weekends Magic encounter with Leeds Rhinos.

This win sees Hull up to second in the table, level on points with the league leaders. Wigan, on the other hand, drop out of the top four after St. Helens secured a 34-20 win over Salford Red Devils to lift themselves above the Warriors.

Wigan: Sarginson, Charnley, Bateman (T), Gildart (T), Manfredi, Williams, Smith (2G), Crosby, Powell, Mossop, Tomkins J, Isa, O'Loughlin. Subs: Tomkins S (T), Clubb, Tautai, Sutton.

Hull FC: Shaul (T), Michaels (T), Fonua, Yeaman, Talanoa (T), Pryce, Sneyd (T, 5G), Taylor (T), Houghton, Watts, Washbrook, Minichiello, Ellis. Subs: Manu, Green, Thompson, Bowden.

Referee: Ben Thaler

Attendance: