Agar toasts Long time

Sean Long enjoyed a dream debut on his return to Knowsley Road in a fog-bound Engage Super League contest.

Long, the new Hull skipper who left Saints in the close season after 12 years at the club, scored a try and set up two others in the visitors' 32-12 success.

Hull boss Richard Agar said afterwards: "It had to be and there was always going to be a big show from Sean. There was plenty of excitement in the week but it was Longy who gave the talk to calm us down. That's the mark of where he is as a player and clearly showed where his focus was."

Referee Ben Thaler only gave the match the go-ahead after delaying the kick-off 15 minutes and Agar admitted: "It may have been difficult for the fans at times but I don't think it caused problems for the players.

"It was a great performance from us and we had to soak up some early pressure but handled it okay.

"It was a strong team effort, we took our chances and it was very pleasing to see us score tries from our own half.

"Saints were hampered by injuries to their middle backs but scored both their tries when we were down to 12 men.

"To keep Saints scoreless for so long was a very good effort."

Long admitted he was nervous before the kick-off and said: "I had to hold it all in because I didn't want my team-mates to know.

"They threw everything at us in the first 20 minutes and we hurt them with our defence. We got in a rhythm and won the arm wrestle. I didn't celebrate my try because I was shattered."