2 Aug 2021
Giants earn back-to-back wins
Huddersfield Giants 34-16 Castleford Tigers
Huddersfield Giants (20)
Tries: Cudjoe (2), Peteru, Yates, McGillvary
Goals: Russell (7)
Drop Goals:
Castleford Tigers (6)
Tries: McShane, Graham, Sweeting
Goals: McShane (2)
Drop Goals:
Huddersfield Giants: Golding, McGillvary, Wardle, Cudjoe, Senior; Pryce, Russell; Trout, Peats, Wilson; Wood, McQueen; Yates
Interchanges: Peteru, English, Ashall-Bott, Peteru
Castleford Tigers: Evalds; Graham, Shenton, Blair, Olpherts; Robb, Smith; Massey, McShane, Hall; Martin, Peachey; Foster
Interchanges: Matagi, Bienek, Keinhorst, Sweeting
Huddersfield Giants claimed back-to-back Super League wins with a comfortable performance at the Mend-a-Hose Jungle, winning 34-16 against Castleford Tigers.
Huddersfield Giants welcomed Matty English back into the Giants side, albeit from the bench. Elsewhere, Olly Russell and Will Pryce continued their good form in the halves and Sam Wood slotted in the back-row.
The Giants started well, forcing repeat Giants early in the opening exchanges, with a resolute Giants defence forcing the Tigers back over the own goal-line in centre-field. The Giants attempted to force Oliver Wilson over the line but he was held up by the Tigers rear guard.
After 10 minutes of the first half, the Giants got on the board courtesy of Leroy Cudjoe, scoring in back to back games, with an inverted run towards the right of the posts. Olly Russell added the extras soon after and the Giants had the best possible start.
The Tigers came back into the game after the concession, and pushed to level the game. They'd get on the board courtesy of Paul McShane, with a coming together between Ash Golding and Jermaine McGillvary giving enough space for the hooker to score. He converted his own score to put the two sides on level after 15 minutes.
Huddersfield would strike back in the 23rd minute of the match, with Cudjoe striking again on the right-hand side, strolling through the gap to score his third try in two games, and the Giants would go further in front courtesy of Nathaniel Peteru a few minutes later, with a pair of Russell conversions giving the Giants and 18-6 lead going into the final ten minutes of the first half. Russell would complete the scoring two minutes from time from the boot again, giving the Giants a 20-6 lead at the half.
After 10 minutes of the first half, the hosts would get the first score of the half courtesy of young Brad Graham, who scored on the overlap to reduce the arrears to ten points. McShane, attempting from the touchline, was unable to further reduce the deficit, missing post-right to bring the scores to 20-10. Russell would nudge the Giants further in front from the boot again, after a penalty was called 15m out from the post, bringing the Giants two scores in front.
Both sides had an error filled spell in the middle of the second half, with little momentum generated from both sides, punctuated with errors. Huddersfield, however, would get a relieving try with 10 on the clock courtesy of Luke Yates, converted once again by Russell. Jermaine McGillvary would further underline the Giants dominance over the game with a tremendous finish in the corner with 5 left on the clock, with Russell once again nailing the extras from the far touchline.
Jake Sweeting got over for the hosts after a tremendous team-move and had the last word on the game, converted by the captain McShane to make it 34-16, but the Giants would claim back-to-back wins in the Betfred Super League.