Optimism Returns

Apr 21 2001 By Chris Roberts, the Huddersfield Daily Examiner

Wigan 37 - 8 Giants. THAT first Super League victory of the season may still remain elusive.

Yet on the evidence of last night's spirited showing against Wigan, the Giants may be heading back in the right direction after their deflating Easter.

There's no question that if Huddersfield had produced a performance similar to last night's in the previous two displays against London and Wakefield, the Super League table would be looking far more palatable.

For large periods of the game, the Giants more than matched their illustrious hosts and had several spells of pressure on the Wigan line.

It was only because of some excellent defence by the Warriors that the visitors could muster just two tries through the promising Hefin O'Hare and the excellent Dale Cardoza. By the same token, almost all of Wigan's six tries - all of which were converted by Andy Farrell and David Furner - were down to outstanding attacking play.

Apart from Brian Carney's opening score, little blame could be attached to the Giants' defensive effort, which overall was impeccable.

And credit in that department should also go to Ben Kusto and rock-steady full-back Ben Cooper, who both tracked back to save certain tries.

Those two defensive contributions proved beyond doubt that the spirit and endeavour remains in the Giants' camp even if the desired results have not been forthcoming.

But that spirit could so easily have crumbled after they had made another worrying start to the contest.

After gifting the opposition 16-point starts in their two previous games, the last thing they needed to see was Carney bursting through some shabby tackles to score within six minutes.

Thankfully, this time the floodgates quickly jammed shut and the Giants warmed to their task.

With hooker Paul Rowley darting around in terrier-like fashion, Cardoza proving a handful every time he had the ball and Martin Gleeson making good yards with several jinking runs, Wigan were not having everything their own way.

A great relieving break from O'Hare deserved a better finish and only a magnificent cover tackle by full-back Kris Radlinski denied Rowley after a darting midfield burst.

But on the half-hour mark, Radlinski demonstrated his spectacular attacking skills by joining the line at just the right minute and beating the cover to score in the corner.

It was a try scored against the run of play, but it didn't prevent the Giants finishing the half the stronger and reducing the deficit in the 39th minute.

The inventive boot of scrum half Kusto made it all possible, kicking ahead on the left touchline for O'Hare to follow up and beat the cover to get the vital touch.

Steve McNamara, however, failed with the toucline conversion.

But a 12-4 interval scoreline was far better than many of the visitors could have hoped for.

Conceding two tries in the opening 13 minutes of the second half to Furner and Carney wasn't exactly what the doctor ordered.

But again the Giants didn't wave the white flag.

Chris Thorman was desperately unlucky to be halted after combining with Brandon Costin to create an opening in the 56th minute and four minutes later their pressure paid off.

After Dale Laughton had been held up over the Wigan line, the scrum was worked to the Huddersfield right for Cardoza to show amazing power and strength to crash through numerous bodies to score.

Two further Wigan tries from Brett Dallas and Phil Jones and a Matthew Johns drop goal in the final 15 minutes did little to reflect this much-improved effort. It was a performance that should have given coach Tony Smith and his players renewed hope for the matches ahead, particularly as this was the closest the Giants have got to Wigan in an away game in Super League!

And with Andrew Frew and Graham Appo both ready to return after failing late fitness tests on ankle injuries, choosing a side for Smith won't be straight forward given the way the backs peformed last night.

Wigan Warriors - Radlinski; Dallas, Connolly (Johnson 60mins), Hodgson, Carney; Johns, Lam (Jones 60mins); Stephenson (O'Connor 30mins), Smith, Cowie (Stephenson 43mins, bb, rev 50mins), Cassidy, Haughton, Farrell (Furner 40mins).

Tries Carney (6mins & 53mins), Radlinski (30mins), Dallas (64mins), Jones (77mins)

Goals Farrell 2 from 2, Furner 4 from 4.

Drop goal Johns

Huddersfield Giants Cooper; Gleeson, Costin, Cardoza, OHare; Kusto, Moxon; Molloy (Laughton 23mins, Lomax 73mins), Rowley, Marshall (Molyneux 29mins, Molloy 58mins), Atkins (Rice 66mins), Lomax (Thorman 54mins), McNamara (Marshall 47mins, bb, rev 60mins).

Tries O'Hare (39mins), Cardoza (61mins).

Goals McNamara 0 from 2.

Half-time 12-4

Referee Ian Smith (Oldham).

Attendance 7,772.

Scrums won Wigan 8, Huddersfield 13.

Penalties conceded Wigan 4, Huddersfield 6.

Top Huddersfield tacklers Atkins 27, Marshall 25, Rowley 23, Costin 22, Laughton 22, Lomax 22, McNamara 22.