The sides could change their league position as a result of their round five Super League XXIX clash as ninth placed Hull FC hosted a Leigh Leopards side who began the game in a disappointing tenth spot and without a win in their opening three fixtures of the season.

Tony Smith welcomed back several stars returning from injury and suspension while the Leigh side continues to look strong, despite the loss of Lachlan Lam and Tom Amone, and confound the pundits as to why they have not recorded any victories so far in this campaign.

The Black & Whites were slight favourites with the bookies but with Leigh commanding just a two-point start on the handicap coupon there was very little to choose between them for a Saturday afternoon encounter.

It was the perfect start for the Leopards as on their first real attack of the game Gareth O’Brien fed Umyla Hanley to go over in the right corner, Matt Moylan unable to add the conversion, the visitors with an early 4-0 lead.

A sensational second try of the game from an airborne Josh Charnley doubled the Leigh lead to 8-0 as he grounded one-handed by the left corner flag. This time Moylan hit the target for a 10-0 lead, the visitors scoring at more than a point a minute.

Just after ten minutes, and on their first attack of the game, Tex Hoy threw a dummy to go in after Leigh had spilled the ball twenty from their own line but the FC full back was unable to add the conversion to his try as his kick sailed wide of the sticks.

It was end-to-end rugby, with two poor defences on show. In fourteen minutes, Ricky Leutele stretched for the line to ground as the tacklers fell away from his jinking run through the Hull defence. Moylan again found the target for 16-4.

Leigh were scoring at will when on seventeen Rob Mulhern crashed through the disinterested Hull defence to score a try which should have been prevented. Moylan kicked his third goal of the afternoon, the Leopards starting to move out of sight.

On twenty-eight Kai O’Donnell took a short pass at speed after a swift play the ball to go in from five metres out. Moylan was again on target, Leigh with a 28-4 lead and well on the way to their first win of the season, FC with their worst opening thirty of the season.

In the dying seconds of the half Franklin Pele was sin-binned for a late tackle on Brad Dwyer, Matt Moylan kicked the resulting penalty goal for a massive 30-4 lead at the interval. The game already in the bag.

Leigh registered the first points of the second half on forty-eight when two offloads close to the line allowed Oliver Holmes to walk in. Moylan added the conversion for 36-4.

On fifty-two Holmes got his second in four minutes as he supported down the middle and took the Ben McNamara pass to score with ease from twenty metres out. Moylan found the target with the conversion as the rout continued, the Airlie Bords fans already leaving the stadium.

Matt Moylan picked up a four pointer on sixty-five after taking the ball at first receiver as the FC defence tried to get back into the defensive line after a lightening quick break downfield. Moylan added the conversion to his own try for 48-4.

The fifty came up on seventy-four minutes when the FC defence parted again for Leutele to go in from ten metres out without a defender’s hand laid upon him. Moylan swung his conversion between the uprights for 54-4.

A massive performance from Leigh Leopards to get their 2024 season underway in style as they slaughtered Hull FC on their own ground and pushed the Black & Whites further into crisis as their season goes from bad to worse. With a try and nine goals Matt Moylan was the outstanding player for Adrian Lam's side and the champagne will be flowing in the Derek Beaumont household tonight. 

Hull FC: Hoy (T), McIntosh, Tuimavave, Sutcliffe, Tindall, Smith, Brown F, Ese’ese, Houghton, Sao, Okunbor, Staveley, Lane.  Subs: Brown J, Pele (SB on 39), Gardiner, Scott. 18th Man:.

Leigh Leopards: O’Brien, Hanley (T), Hardaker, Leutele (2T), Charnley (T), Moylan (T, 9G), McNamara, Norman, Dwyer, Mulhern (T), O’Donnell (T), Halton, Hughes. Subs: Trout, Nakubuwai, Holmes (2T), Davis. 18th Man: Chamberlain.

Half-Time: 4-30.

Full-Time: 4-54.

Score Progression: 0-4, 0-8, 0-10, 4-10, 4-14, 4-16, 4-20, 4-22, 4-26, 4-28, (SB), 4-30 : HT: 4-34, 4-36, 4-40, 4-42, 4-46, 4-48, 4-52, 4-54  :FT.

Lead Exchanges: Leigh.

Referee: Aaron Moore.