Missed tackles prove so costly

Apr 9 2001 By Chris Roberts, The Huddersfield Daily Examiner

Salford Reds 28 - Giants 14. THE disappointing Giants only have themselves to blame for not recording a first Super League victory of the campaign.

For much of the contest they looked the far more accomplished side.

Yet when it came to the crunch they were the masters of their own downfall.

Salford's first and second tries each resulted after the visitors had made horrible errors in their own 25, while try No3 in the 72nd minute was courtesy of some crucial missed tackles on the halfway line.

And to commit such sins against any Super League side is simply asking for trouble, as Salford were only too willing to prove.

But in between those costly indiscretions there were again the signs that here was a Giants side that was taking steps in the right direction.

After conceding an opening try after just 54 seconds when Andrew Frew spilled the ball in his own 25 and Kris Tassell almost immediately plunged over for a try converted by Bobbie Goulding, Huddersfield began to emerge into the dominant side.

The more the half progressed, the greater their threat became, while Salford were finding it increasingly difficult to break down a well-organised visiting defence.

Even though it was apparent the wet conditions weren't exactly to the Giants' liking they slowly began to turn the screw.

Steve McNamara would have reduced the deficit in the seventh minute had he not slipped on the greasy surface as he stepped up to take a penalty attempt.

And 12 minutes later only desperate Salford defence somehow managed to keep out Brandon Costin as he hurtled towards the line.

Even though former Giants favourite Goulding increased his side's lead against the run of play in the 28th minute it was no great surprise when Huddersfield fought back to take a 10-8 interval lead.

They struck for the first time on the half-hour mark when Dale Laughton, McNamara and Costin combined on the left for Graham Appo to dive under the cover and over for a well-crafted score in the corner.

McNamara was desperately unlucky to see his touchline conversion attempt rebound off a post, but he was to make no mistake with his second effort four minutes later.

Yet this time the try was even better.

Thorman's perfectly-timed pass sent loose-forward McNamara charging through a hole in the defence and he found the supporting David Atkins on his shoulder to finish off in style.

At 10-8 the Giants were in front for the first time and thoroughly deserved their lead.

Although Goulding levelled matters with a second Salford penalty two minutes after the restart, Huddersfield were soon back on track.

By the 53rd minute McNamara had landed two penalties - the second of which had resulted following a successful 40-20 kick from Chris Thorman - and the visitors had opened up a four-point margin for the first time. At that stage things were looking very promising.

But from the 57th minute onwards, it all went downhill - fast!

A forward pass from hard-working hooker Paul Rowley gave Salford a scrum in the Giants' 25, and on the sixth tackle Goulding kicked ahead for Francis Maloney to pounce and grab a crucial converted try.

From then on, Salford never looked back.

After Nick Pinkney had been called back for offside following up Graham Holroyd's kick to the corner to `score', the lead was extended in the 72nd minute.

This time bad tackling on halfway enabled Andy Coley to break clear and release supporting former Aussie Test ace Michael Hancock who finished off with ease.

Then after Gary Broadbent was denied by another offside call, the home side well and truly finished off the visitors.

Once again it was the in-form Goulding who was at the heart of the Giants' destruction, kicking ahead for Malcolm Alker to gather and score, albeit in rather fortuitous circumstances.

That produced a rather unflattering scoreline that did little to reflect the true balance of play.

Yet whatever the margin of Salford's success, it was still a frustrating way to end a game that had earlier promised so much.

Salford City Reds: Broadbent; Pinkney, Maloney (Holroyd 62mins), Tassell, Offiah; Blakeley, Goulding; Southern Driscoll 65mins), Alker, Driscoll (Coley 23mins), Jowitt, Highton (Hancock 51mins), Wainwright (Brown 42mins).

Tries: Tassell (1min), Maloney (57mins), Hancock (72mins), Alker (79mins.)

Goals: Goulding 6 from 6.

Huddersfield Giants: Cooper; Frew, Gleeson (Cardoza 65mins), Costin, Appo; Thorman, Kusto; Laughton (Molyneux 35mins, Molloy 65mins), Rowley, Molloy (Turner 25mins), Atkins, Lomax (Marshall (45mins), McNamara.

Tries: Appo (30mins), Atkins (34mins).

Goals: McNamara 3 from 5.

Referee: Steve Ganson (St Helens).

Half-time: 8-10.

Attendance: 3,793.

Scrums won: Salford 8, Huddersfield 8.

Penalties conceded: Salford 8, Huddersfield 9.

Top Huddersfield tacklers: Atkins 50, Lomax 30, Rowley 30.

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