Fortress Stade Gilbert Brutus saw the welcome return of the Catalans Dragons for their first home game of the season against Hull FC, top of the table after last weekends big win over Salford.

Both sides had players returning from injury. For the home side it was bitter sweet as Thomas Bosc made his first appearance of the season while new signing Paul Aiton started a long lay-off after rupturing a bicep last week at Wigan. For the visitors it was the return of skipper Gareth Ellis, back for his first game in seven months after suffering a ruptured achilles. FC were without new signing Mahe Fonua who injured a knee in the win over the Red Devils, and he was replaced by Steve Michaels.

It was the visitors who registered the first points of the game after seven minutes and on FCs first real attack. On the last tackle the ball was moved wide left for Fetuli Talanoa to score in the corner off a Tuimavave pass. Marks Sneyd hit the left upright from the touchline conversion attempt. Four minutes later and the Dragons got the perfect response when Pat Richards grounded in the corner off a Richie Myler pass. Richards failed to add the extra two leaving the side tied up at 4-4.

In the tit-for-tat scoring it was now FCs turn, this time closer to the sticks, when a Mark Minichiello jinking run put Sika Manu free to beat four attempted tackles and ground one-handed. Sneyd was this time accurate with the boot. On twenty-one Pat Richards added his second of the night when he ran over the top of the FC defender to again ground in the left corner. This time he kicked the extras and the game was once again squared up.

The twenty-seventh minute saw the third Hull try as Josh Bowden muscled his way to the line, and with three tacklers attached, grounded one-handed. Referee Hicks went to the video referee for confirmation before awarding the try. Once again, Sneyd kicked the conversion to edge his side back into the lead.

The lead was stretched on the half-hour after a terrible Catalans pass from Duport went to ground and was picked up Gareth Ellis who found Jack Logan to dart through the broken defence and dive over. Sneyd kicked the two and give his side a twelve point lead going into the break.

When Leon Pryce was sin-binned in fifty-two, for pulling back a Catalans player without the ball, it looked like it might open the door for the Dragons. But two minutes later an off-the-ball incident allowed Sneyd to kick a penalty from thirty metres out and put his side further ahead.

Still a man down, but against an increasingly frustrated Dragons, FC went further ahead on sixty when Gareth Ellis picked up a Sneyd grubber to open his 2016 account. When Sneyd kicked the extras the lead was twenty points and the two league points were there for the Airlie Birds taking. Two minutes later and Talanoa grabbed his second of the night, again off a Tuimavave pass, as the Dragons defence fell apart. Sneyd couldn't convert but the home side now needed five converted tries in sixteen minutes.

On sixty-six it was FCs seventh try of the night, a fifty metre run to the corner from Jamie Shaul. Sneyd failed to add the two but at 38-10 this was a massive humiliation for the Dragons in front of their own vociferous support.

Hull had three late tries refused by the video referee, to spare the Dragons blushes.

This was a great win for the travelling Airlie Birds over the side who only lost twice at home in 2015. FC go back to the top of Super League and maintain their 100% record, pushing the Dragons into bottom spot at this early stage of the season.

Dragons: Gigot, Yaha, Inu, Duport, Richards (2T, G), Carney, Myler, Anderson, Pelissier, Bosquet, Steward, Horo, Baitieri. Subs: Taylor, Bosc, Mounis, Elima.

Hull FC: Shaul (T), Tuimavave, Logan (T), Talanoa (2T), Pryce (SB), Sneyd (5G), Taylor, Houghton, Watts, Minichiello, Thompson, Michaels, Manu (T). Subs: Ellis (T), Bowden (T), Pritchard, Washbrook.

Referee: Rob Hicks

Attendance: