TOM Lineham says his partnership with Ben Crooks will only get better after the two underlined their potential with performances of note against Wigan.
Hull's right-sided duo scored the Black and Whites' four tries in Friday's 28-20 defeat to the Warriors, with a hat-trick for Lineham and a 10th try of the season for Crooks.
The pair now boast 21 tries between them already despite not featuring in the team at the start of the season.
Lineham has revealed a competition between the two friends as to who will finish top scorer is driving them on, but following his hat-trick against Wigan's he admits Crooks deserves all the praise.
"I have to give Ben Crooks all the credit for my hat-trick.
"Ben was probably the lightest player on the pitch against Wigan but you wouldn't think it the way he plays and the lines he runs," Lineham told the Mail.
"He breaks the line, has an off-load, a great pass and even beat Pat Richards in the air to tip the ball on to me for a try. He was brilliant against Wigan.
"We get on very well, we are very good friends and that helps a lot. We have a competition between us for who can score the most tries."
Lineham and Crooks are beginning to make a name for themselves in Super League this season in one of the youngest three-quarter line partnerships around. Both are in their second year as professionals, with Lineham 21 and Crooks still only 19-years-old.
Former York City Knights player Lineham recently signed a new deal until the end of 2017 and with Crooks also committed until 2015, Lineham is confident there is a bright future ahead for his centre partner.
"Ben is an unbelievable talent and you forget how young he is," added Lineham.
"I see it in training all the time, he's a brilliant player and will do wonders for Hull.
"It's a pleasure to play alongside him and we feel our partnership will only get better."
Hull coach Peter Gentle will look for more of the same from the pair when Hull bid to get back to winning ways this Friday against London Broncos.
With results elsewhere working in Hull's favour to some extent, the Black and Whites remain in contention with those around them in the table.
Eager to take the positives from one of their best displays of the season, Lineham says it's important Hull now use their Wigan display as a marker for the rest of the year.
"Wigan are the best and we pushed them. Games like that give you confidence and what we need now is that performance every week," says Lineham.
"We were very disappointed in the changing rooms afterwards because we thought we had them. It showed how under pressure they felt going for the two points towards the end.
"We had them on the back foot and we'll take a lot of positives from that game."
