He may not be the most high-profile winger in Super League, but Hull FC’s Tom Lineham might just be the luckiest.
Lineham, who infamously nicknamed himself ‘The Flying Pig’ last year, wasn’t even supposed to be in Hull’s side this week after what he openly described as his worst game for the club last week.
He made a number of key errors during Hull’s Magic Weekend victory against their bitter rivals Hull KR, and had it not been for a late injury to his fellow winger Fetuli Talanoa, he would have been watching this game against Widnes from the sidelines.
But with fortune on his side, Lineham certainly atoned for his performance last week, grabbing a stunning hat-trick to haul his club into Super League’s top eight and take his season’s try tally to 15 – putting himself second behind Wigan’s Joe Burgess at the top of the scoring charts.
“It was the worst game I’d ever played for Hull last week,” Lineham said after the victory over Widnes. “I wasn’t going to be in this week but Talanoa dropped out with an injury and I got a lifeline from the gods. Thankfully I managed to bounce back, and it meant a lot to play so well after an awful game last week.”
Hull appeared to be facing defeat when they fell 12-0 behind after as many minutes, but from that moment on, Lee Radford’s men did not concede another point, scoring 25 of their own as both Lineham and the half-back Marc Sneyd steered their team to their sixth victory in their last eight Super League games.
That they have experienced just two losses since their Easter defeat to Hull KR suggests that miserable night was a crucial turning point in their season.
Widnes, whose captain Kevin Brown signed a two-year contract extension before the match, do not lose many games at home. But though this was just their second defeat on their own turf all season, they have now dropped into the bottom four at the expense of Hull, who are well and truly on a roll.
“We came into this game with good intentions and purpose, but just failed to capitalise on that start,” said their coach, Denis Betts. “We let them back into the game and they took control. We went sloppy and let them in but you have to give credit for the way they stayed in the fight.”
Widnes’s bright start came thanks to tries from Matt Whitley and Jack Owens, who also scored two goals. Their opening dominance, however, was short-lived. Hull soon shook off the effects of a near three-hour coach journey across the M62 and came to life.
By the break Hull were in front courtesy of Lineham’s first two tries and a score from the experienced Leon Pryce, before Sneyd and Lineham took further control of matters after half-time to steer their team towards their eventual comfortable win.
It was Sneyd, an impressive acquisition for Hull in 2015, who collected his own kick to extend the lead, before Lineham completed his hat-trick with another magnificent finish in the corner. By the time Widnes lost Brown to a head injury late on, Sneyd had long since confirmed the result with a drop goal.
Widnes Hanbury; Owens, Marsh, Whitley, Ah Van; Brown, Mellor; Dudson, White, Gerrard, Clarkson, Galea, Isa.
Interchange Heremaia, Leuluai, Manuokafoa, Joseph.
Tries Owens, Whitley Goals Owens 2
Hull FC Shaul; Lineham, Whiting, Yeaman, Michaels; Pryce, Sneyd; Paea, Houghton, Watts, Ellis, Minichiello, Westerman.
Interchange Paleaaesina, Green, Thompson, Abdull.
Tries Lineham 3, Pryce, Sneyd Goals Sneyd 2 Drop goal Sneyd
Referee P Bentham
