Defensive role takes its toll

Mar 26 2001 By Chris Roberts, The Huddersfield Daily Examiner

Giants 14 - 30 Bradford. FOR the opening 40 minutes the Giants and their loyal band of followers were in Super League heaven.

Coach Tony Smith's side were not only matching the Bulls tackle for tackle, but went in at the break leading 10-8!

It was without doubt the best 40 minutes of defensive play produced by the Giants since their elevation back into the top flight in 1998.

And that was crowned by one of the best tries ever scored by Huddersfield at the McAlpine Stadium - courtesy of the already popular Andrew Frew, whose reputation has now been even further enhanced.

In the second half, however, the defensive efforts of the Giants took their toll.

Three tries in the space of 11 uncomfortable second-half minutes sealed victory for the visitors and denied the home side the chance to claim a massive Super League scalp.

To rub salt into the wounds, those had been scored on the back of Giants' errors, posing the question as to what might have been.

Yet given the heroic performance put in by Smith's men it would be somewhat churlish to start nit-picking.

Overall, this was another display which proved beyond doubt that the Giants are improving dramatically under the new regime.

A win in the next few matches against so-called lesser opposition is obviously the acid test.

But there is absolutely no question that if the Giants play like this against Salford in the next game a week on Sunday, that this first win of Super League VI will be chalked up.

For starters, the way Huddersfield defended during an incredible early Bradford onslaught was astonishing.

Within the first four minutes in-form full-back Ben Cooper had pulled off superb try-saving tackles on Jamie Peacock and Paul Deacon.

But with his teammates only too willing to follow his lead, and David Atkins again leading the way with another magnificent effort, the tide began to turn.

And by the ninth minute, the Giants had hit the front.

A strong Steve Molloy drive took his side into Bulls' territory and after fit-again Graham Appo, who returned on the wing in place of Dale Cardoza, was caught by a head tackle, Steve McNamara landed a penalty.

Although Deacon raced in for a fine individual try five minutes later and then added the conversion, the Giants refused to concede the advantage.

In fact, they came back even stronger, with Frew's magical solo effort.

When he received the ball on halfway he didn't appear to have any real options.

But he spotted a gap in the visitors' defence, raced through and then beat full-back Stuart Spruce in his charge to the line.

McNamara added a magnificent touchline conversion and the Giants were back in front.

Brandon Costin was desperately unlucky not to increase his side's lead when he just failed to ground the ball under immense pressure.

Yet with McNamara and Deacon exchanging penalties, the Giants were able to boast a deserved 10-8 lead at the interval, and a standing ovation from the home fans to go with it.

Unfortunately, however, the half-time interval came just at the wrong moment.

A fired-up Bulls took immediate second-half charge, with Henry Paul coming off the bench to lead the recovery.

Within two minutes Tevita Vaikona had used all his brute force to charge over and by the 53rd minute Daniel Gartner and Robbie Paul followed suit to crash over.

To add insult to injury Deacon and Henry Paul adding touchline conversions to turn the game on its head at 26-10.

But despite the Giants continuing to make basic errors they refused to capitulate.

Leon Pryce raced in for the fifth Bradford try with seven minutes remaining, but Huddersfield did have the final say.

Thorman and Atkins both made ground before Costin crashed over in the 77th minute for his third try in three games.

A positive way to finish another very encouraging Giants display.

Huddersfield Giants - Cooper; Frew, Gleeson, Costin, Appo; Thorman, Moxon (Kusto 19mins); Molloy (Marshall 29mins), Rowley, Laughton (Molyneux 19mins, bb, rev 38, Molloy 69mins), Lomax (Turner 57mins), Atkins, McNamara.Tries - - Frew (19mins), Costin (77mins).Goals - - McNamara 3 from 4.

Bradford Bulls - - Spruce; Vaikona, Gilmour, Withers, Pryce; R Paul, Deacon; McDermott (Anderson 21mins, McDer,ott 37mins, bb, rev 51mins), Lowes (H Paul 40mins), agan (Fielden 21mins), Peacock, Gartner (Vagana 60mins), Rigon (Radford 53mins).Tries - - Deacon (14mins), Vaikona (42mins), Gartner (45mins), R Paul (53mins), Pryce (73mins).Goals - - Deacon 4 from 5, H Paul 1 from 1.

Half-time - - 10-8.

Referee - - Karl Kirkpatrick (Warrington).

Attendance - - 6,448.

Scrums won - - Giants 4, Bulls 5.

Penalties conceded - - Giants 9, Bulls 9.

Top Huddersfield tacklers - - Atkins 37, Rowley 33, Laughton 25, Lomax 25, Marshall 25.