3 May 2019

GIANTS FALL TO NARROW LATE DEFEAT

Huddersfield Giants 25 - 26 Wakefield Trinity

Jordan Turner returned to the Giants team after concussion for the visit of West Yorkshire neighbours Wakefield Trinity but Joe Wardle and Matty English were missing after suffering head knocks in last weeks loss at the Halliwell-Jones Stadium to Warrington. Oliver Roberts and Sam Hewit were also back in the Giants line-up on a cool evening after rain for most of the day.

The Giants started erratically dropping off tackles and handing field position to Trinity who took the lead on 7 minutes, Mason Caton-Brown taking full advantage after a penalty to touch down by the posts, Ryan Hampshire adding the extras. 4 minutes later further sloppiness in the Giants defence brought another try to Mason Caton-Brown with a Ryan Hampshire conversion.

Gradually though the Giants began to assert themselves and a Russell kick led to a goal line drop out and from the resulting play the Giants got on the score sheet Matt Frawley dummying and twisting himself over for a try by the posts, Oliver Russell adding the extras. On 25 minutes the Giants threw away all their previous good work by conceding the softest of tries, David Fifita hacking forward a loose ball 30 metres out chasing after it into the ingoal area and touching down with no Giants defenders in attendance.

Ryan Hampshire’s conversion put the Trinity 12 points to the good. The score seemed to galvanise the Giants into action and Jermaine McGillvary went close. More Giants pressure led to a goal line drop out but the Giants were unable to turn it into points and the half time hooter came with no changes to the scoreline.

The Giants had failed to find any fluency in their play in the first 40 minutes with a succession of errors both on attack and defence leading to soft tries being conceded. Trinity’s defence had been sound when the Giants had been able to put pressure on.

The second half began with a much improved Giants performance, most of the play taking place in Trinity territory. On 48 minutes a sweeping move down the right gave Jordan Turner the chance to put Jermaine McGillvary in at the corner and he finished with aplomb repeating the score 4 minutes later, this time after a goal line drop out had been forced.

Oliver Ruussell converted both tries from the touchline. Another 4 minutes and the Giants were ahead, this time the try scorer was Adam O’Brien scooting over from dummy half by the posts, Oliver Russell adding the extras. The momentum was firmly with the Giants but on 66 minutes and totally against the run of play Ben Jones-Bishop picked up a loose ball spilled by the Giants some 5 metres out from the Trinity goal line line and raced away on a 90 metre run to the line for a try by the posts, Ryan Hampshire’s conversion levelling the scores.

On 69 minutes Ukuma Ta’ai was sinbinned which meant they would be a player light for more or less the remainder of the game. However on 72 minutes as the game reached a dramatic ending Oliver Russell put the Giants back in the lead with a drop goal , only for them to throw it all away conceding a penalty inside their 20 3 minutes from full time, Ryan Hampshire slotting over the goal and giving his side a 1 point lead. The Giants could not retrieve the situation and could only blame themselves for handing success to Trinity.

It had been a much better second half by the Giants but they will need to put together a much better all round performance next time out when League leaders St Helens are the opposition at the John Smith’s Stadium in the 6th Round of the Challenge Cup Sunday 12 May kick off 6.05pm.

Referee: J Child

Half time: Giants 6 Wakefield Trinity 18

Full time: Giants 25 Wakefield Trinity 26

Scorers

Giants

Tries: Frawley, McGillvary (2), O’Brien

Goals: Russell (4)

Drop Goal: Russell

Wakefield Trinity

Tries: Caton-Brown (2), Fifita, Jones-Bishop,

Goals: Hampshire (5)

Giants Man of the Match: Jermaine McGillvary