THERE can be no arguments with Saints’ effort at Hull FC but were still edged out 32-24 by the league leaders.

It looked as though it was going to be another torrid afternoon for Saints against the Black and Whites when scrum-half Luke Walsh limped off with a leg injury after barely a minute and then they fell behind 12-0.

But with Jon Wilkin slotting back into the halves, Theo Fages taking a grip and Jack Ashworth coming on to produce a big-hitting performance in the back row, Saints steadied the ship and then rocked the hosts with three well-taken tries.

But a defensive lapse from Atelea Vea for one try and an unfortunate misjudgement by Kyle Amor for another allowed Hull to regain the ascendancy, leaving Saints with nothing for their honest endeavour.

In contrast to last week, the vocal travelling fans cheered them off in appreciation of the effort they had witnessed.

Saints had got off to a shocker and after Walsh had limped off they spent a good chunk of the first quarter under the cosh in their own half.

Eventually Hull turned that into points when prop Liam Watts found it too easy to pierce the Saints defence up the middle before flicking it out to skipper Gareth Ellis who did the rest Scott Taylor went close, but knocked on going for the line.

It was a brief let-off and from a tapped penalty, followed by too much sloppy shirt grabbing, gave Hull the position for strong-running centre Mahe Fonua to power home on 15 minutes.

Marc Sneyd slotted both, but Saints hit back with a quick-fire brace of tries.

The first saw Adam Swift stretch over after a fine long pass from Wilkin and some neat work from Jonny Lomax set it up.

Lomax, who for the first time since his return was as playing as an out and out full-back on both sides of the ball, scored the next one after Wilkin and Fages had created the space for him to dummy his way over.

Despite the barracking, Jack Owens kept his head to convert both scores from the touchline to level matters.

And three minutes before the break the resurgence was complete when Owens sent Wilkin steaming 50 metres from the scrum, and in the next phase Fages' pass was tipped on by Sneyd to allow the alert Vea to pounce.

Owen's third goal made it 18-12, but Sneyd pulled two points back with a penalty after the hooter had wailed for half-time.

It would turn out to be a critical score in the grand scheme of things.

After a big tackle from Ashworth had stopped Ellis at one end, Saints had plenty of ball and territory early in the second half but crucially they failed to make it count.

Twice Saints won scrums, including one against the feed, but Jordan Turner went into touch on play one on the first and then Greg Richards knocked on reaching for the line after the second. Add in Fages going close and Wilkin knocking on eight metres out.

As often happen the defending team came off the ropes to hit back when stand-off Carlos Tuimavave left Vea grabbing at thin air as he jinked through for Hull's third try.

But the real sickener came on 63 minutes when Tuimavave's chip kick was tamely knocked down by Amor, allowing Taylor to pounce for a try.

It was a travesty for Amor, who has been Saints' most consistent forward all season, and who looked totally mortifield by the mistake.

Sneyd goaled both, but that was not the signal for Saints to collapse and the impressive Ashworth took Fages pass to force his way over on 69 minutes, with the in-goal touch judge approving.

Both teams had pressure at each other’s end, but with the clock ticking down and Saints chasing the game they went for a short drop out.

Unfortunately Danny Washbrook collected it on the right, before twisting out of the tackle to sprint 30 metres unopposed.

Sneyd’ sixth goal wrapped up the scoring, but unlike last week there was absolutely no disgrace in this defeat.

It does, however, leave Saints four points adrift of the leading top four pack who all won at the weekend.