Records tumbled as Hull FC crushed Sheffield Eagles in the Powergen Challenge
Cup fifth round.
An inexperienced Sheffield side crashed to the club's heaviest ever defeat -
the previous was 80-2 to an Australian touring side in 1994.
Hull FC recorded their highest ever score, beating the 86-0 recorded against
amateurs Ellenborough and Northern Ford Premiership side Chorley Links.
The Eagles of National League Division Two - who won the challenge cup as a
Superleague side in 1998 - were never able to match the power of Hull who
constantly broke tackles and displayed a killer instinct.
Full-back Steve Prescott claimed his second hat-trick in successive games and
former New Zealand captain Richie Barnet claimed four tries.
Sheffield's only consolation was that the decision to switch the game to
Hull's Kingston Communications Stadium produced a 11,729 crowd and a massive
boost to their bank balance.
Sheffield's agony began after only three minutes when winger Matt Crowther,
who was in their Wembley Challenge Cup-winning team, beat centre Neil Kite to a
high ball to run 95 metres to the try line.
Crowther added the goal, the first of eight he was to kick in the first half
and 14 out of 15 in the match.
Hull's power was clear as the Eagles desperately tried to make use of the
little possession they gained and struggled to complete their sets of six.
Prop Paul Cooke increased Hull's lead on six minutes after Steve Craven held
off three tacklers.
Winger John Breakingbury and Damian Whitter came closest to scoring for the
Eagles but were held near the line by a determined Hull defence.
Full-back Steve Prescott produced a 95-metre run from in front of his own
posts to score on 13 minutes and two minutes later combined with Paul Cooke to
send in Toa Kohe Love.
Hull were scoring more than a point a minute and Chris Chester broke a tackle
to send in Barnet for the first of his tries on 18 minutes.
Barnet added a second on 26 and completed his first hat-trick on 33.
Great Britain test star Richard Horne completed the first half scoring to make
it 48-0 at the break.
The Eagles managed to hold Hull for nearly 10 minutes of the second half
before second row Sean Ryan powered through.
Barnet claimed his fourth try and Prescott completed his hat-trick midway
through the half.
Graham Horne, making his debut for Hull, scored on 66 minutes soon after
returning from treatment and added a second in the final minute.
In between winger Colin Best claimed a deserved try.