Farrell the star of his own show
Wigan Warriors 50 Hull FC
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Your support makes all the difference.Wigan duly marked the testimonial match for their captain, Andy Farrell, with a convincing win, but this was more of a celebration of a great career that any guide to what will happen when the two sides meet again in the Challenge Cup in nine days' time.
At 26, Farrell still has some of his best days in front of him, but his opening try and seven goals neatly encapsulated his value for the club over the past decade.
Wigan did not start auspiciously. Julian O'Neill's first touch of the ball for his new club was a knock-on, his second a pass that bounced off Brian Carney to give Lee Jackson a gift try.
It took Farrell to get Wigan moving, his charge on to Terry Newton's pass producing their first try and his long ball to another debutant, Jamie Ainscough, their second.
With Hull losing some shape when their scrum-half, Richard Horne, went off dazed from a heavy tackle from David Furner, Wigan seemed to be taking firm control through two quick tries from Newton, showing what an asset he would have been to Great Britain had he been fit for the Ashes series. Mick Cassidy provided the pass for the first, while lovely approach play down the right by Farrell and Carney paved the way for the second.
But Hull came back before half-time, O'Neill's mixed evening continuing when his pass was picked off by Graham Mackay for another debut try.
Newton continued to do damage, setting up Adrian Lam with a first try of the second half, but Hull stayed vaguely in touch through an effort of their own from Deon Bird.
Simon Haughton, a player who badly needs to re-establish himself in the Wigan pecking order this season, was next, with Newton again prominent in the build-up.
Chris Chester must have thought momentarily that he was still playing for Wigan when Ainscough intercepted his pass for his second, before O'Neill sent in the highly promising Steven Wild.
Jackson poached the second from a kick ahead before Ricky Bibey rounded it off, but Hull will be far sterner opposition when the serious business starts.
Wigan Warriors: Radlinski; Dallas, Ainscough, Johnson, Carney; O'Neill, Lam; Bibey, Newton, Howard, Cassidy, Furner, Farrell.
Hull FC: Prescott; Raynor, Bird, Kohe-Love, Parker; Cooke, Horne; Craven, Jackson, Greenhill, Ryan, Maher, Chester.
Referee: R Smith (Castleford).
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