Resurgent Hull leapfrogged defending engage Super League champions Leeds into top spot after maintaining their impressive start to the season with a fourth win from as many games.

A masterclass display from stand-off Richard Horne was the highlight against a Huddersfield side who never fully recovered from a wretched first-half performance at the Galpharm Stadium.

Hull were also indebted to the silky skills of former Giants captain Chris Thorman while the victory was sweet, too, for football manager Jon Sharp, who was sacked by Huddersfield last June.

Fresh from their first League win at Bradford for 40 years, it was Huddersfield who made a dream start with a try from skipper Brett Hodgson after just two minutes.

Craig Hall, a third-choice full-back for Hull in the absence of Motu Tony and Todd Byrne, fumbled Luke Robinson's high kick on his own line and Hodgson was on hand to touch down.

Hall made amends seven minutes later, however, by providing the final pass for winger Tom Briscoe to score an equalising try and Hull went on to boss the show, thanks largely to their opponents' generosity.

Danny Tickle's conversion edged the visitors in front and they extended their lead on 15 minutes when second rower Willie Manu offloaded from a two-man tackle and Horne jinked his way past four defenders to touch down for his 101st try for the club.

The Giants defence lived dangerously, with Lee Radford having a try disallowed on 23 minutes, and the home side continually put themselves under pressure with a series of handling errors.

Huddersfield pulled a try back during a rare foray into Hull territory when former Harlequins back-rower Joe Walsh took Scott Moore's pass from dummy half to touch down just seven minutes after going as substitute for his debut.

Hodgson's conversion cut the deficit to just two points but Hull restored their eight-point lead six minutes before half-time when substitute Jamie Thackray powered his way over at the corner after Huddersfield failed to deal with Horne's high kick.

The Giants had more defending to do at the start of the second half but there was a more solid look about them following coach Nathan Brown's pep talk and they were again the first to score.

Snappy handling by Moore and Hodgson got stand-off Kevin Brown through a chink the Hull defence for the Giants' third try but Hodgson was once more off target with the goal attempt.

Hull sent on new signing Sam Moa, the Tongan World Cup prop, for his Super League debut and he immediately made his presence felt in a 13-minute cameo show with a crunching tackle on Hodgson.

Yet another handling error by the Giants deep inside their own half then gifted Hull a perfect attacking position and they took full advantage, with centre Kirk Yeaman racing onto Thorman's expertly-judged grubber kick to touch down.

Tickle was off target for the first time but made amends with a 40-metre penalty to open up a 10-point lead, which was a big enough cushion to enable them to withstand a late Giants onslaught.

Huddersfield saved their best for last, with man of the match Brown sending winger David Hodgson over for a consolation try in injury time, Brett Hodgson kicking his second goal.