Hull FC coach Brett Hodgson confident his side can beat Wigan

Hull FC head coach Brett Hodgson is confident only a slight improvement in performance will be enough to secure a place in the semi-finals of the Challenge Cup but Wigan boss Adrian Lam warns he has "something up his sleeve''.

The Black and Whites take on Wigan at Headingley on Saturday in a repeat of last season's quarter-final, just over a week after meeting them in Super League.

Hull were thrashed 36-4 in the cup but only two points separated the teams at the DW Stadium last Thursday with a battling display that encouraged their new boss.

"We weren't good enough in elements to win that game but we did show that we're good enough to put up a fight against those top teams,'' Hodgson said.

"Even with our performance, we could have snuck away with a win and that says where we're at. We processed the game pretty well. We were close so small improvements this week may give us the chance to get a result this time around.''

Lam says his side were careful not to show their full hand in the 16-14 league win and kept some plays back for the cup tie.

"I think both teams sort of dipped their toe in the water last week, I know we did,'' he said.

"We didn't want to over-coach them and give away too much information because this is the bigger week, obviously.

"We've got a better feel of who they are as a team, we have a certain game plan, and so will they.

"But at the same time, when you play the same side back-to-back, you need to make sure you don't show your hand in the first one.''

If it comes down to fine margins and possible unlimited extra time, Hull might have an advantage in drop-goal expert Marc Sneyd yet the half-back says he has stopped practising one-pointers.

Sneyd has kicked 34 drop goals in his career, several of them in golden point extra time, but missed four attempts in the draw with Warrington and was twice off target in a tight contest with Wakefield.

"When I practise them, I can't kick them on the field so I've stopped practising them again, weirdly,'' said Hull's co-captain.

"I genuinely believe that drop goals are a one-in-10 opportunity. The way you drop the ball and the way you strike it changes every single time because you don't know where defenders are coming from and things like that.

"I do genuinely believe that practising drop goals is a bad thing for when you need to do it in a game situation because you'll never kick it how you want to in a game.''

Sneyd will be reunited with his half-back partner Josh Reynolds, who has recovered from a hamstring injury, but Hull are without props Scott Taylor and Brad Fash and Hodgson must find a stop-gap full-back following a one-match ban handed out to Jake Connor.

Hodgson has recalled Connor's understudy Connor Wyne from his loan spell at York but also has the option of switching Josh Griffin to full-back and bringing in Cameron Scott to centre.

Wigan are without prop Tony Clubb, who starts an eight-match ban after being found guilty of abusing Hull FC back-rower Andre Savelio in last Thursday's league match, but have winger Dom Manfredi ready to make his first appearance of the season.