Credit for Giants despite defeat

Jul 9 2001 By Chris Roberts, The Huddersfield Daily Examiner

Giants 24 - Warriors 48. INSPIRED Huddersfield produced one of their most encouraging Super League performances in four seasons to give Wigan the fright of their lives.

The cruel final margin of the Warriors' victory simply doesn't do justice to the way coach Tony Smith's men played.

For long periods of the contest, Huddersfield were by far the better side and no-one could deny that they deserved the four converted tries which gave them their highest points tally against Wigan in Super League.

And all this was achieved by a Giants side lacking several highly-influential players.

It's true that Wigan were without Steve Renouf, Gary Connolly, Matthew Johns and Terry O'Connor - world-class players in anyone's book - but with David Atkins, Dale Laughton, Steve McNamara, Paul Rowley and Mick Slicker missing for the home side, the strength of the Huddersfield squad was hit far harder.

But rather than being a problem, it proved to be a source of inspiration.

Newcomers Danny Fearon and Toby Green, who were both making their home debuts, showed up well, as did the rest of their teammates.

Brandon Costin took over as captain in the absence of Laughton and McNamara to lead by example, while new arrivals Stanley Gene and Troy Stone again caught the eye.

Yet it is somewhat unfair to single out these five. Everyone played a part.

And those who competed in the opening period can lay claim to being in the Huddersfield side that produced its most convincing 40 minutes in Super League.

Apart from one kick-off that went out on the full, the Giants produced an error-free half.

Even the two Wigan tries which kept them in the hunt at 12-12 were down to attacking excellence rather than defensive failings.

Furthermore, Wigan coach Stuart Raper was quick to acknowledge that his side were fortunate not to be trailing at the break.

"Huddersfield really showed the way in that first half, playing enthusiastically and showing how to approach the game," he admitted.

Quite right.

After just three minutes, Andrew Frew scored in the corner after good work from Green, and Costin landed a magnificent touchline conversion.

Then, on the next phase of home pressure, Frew was bundled into touch inches short of the line.

Terry Newton hit back with a try converted by Andy Farrell - the first of eight kicks from nine attempts - but the Giants' response was quick.

This time it was Martin Gleeson who drove the ball to the line and Costin crashed over from acting half back and then added his own conversion.

A 19th-minute Farrell penalty kept Wigan in contention and Paul Johnson was denied by a magnificent try-saving tackle from Paul Reilly.

But the home side continued to create the better chances, with Green and Gleeson both unlucky not to extend the advantage.

And when David Hodgson scored Wigan's second try seven minutes before the break, it was clearly against the run of play.

Yet that score helped ease the visitors back into contention and in the opening 20 minutes of the second half, they finally began to stamp some authority on things, thanks largely to the boot of Adrian Lam.

A powerhouse drive by Harvey Howard opened Wigan's second-half account, then Lam began to take control.

Tries from Farrell, David Furner and Kris Radlinski all came from short Lam kicks - although a close look at possible offsides wouldn't have gone amiss - and a 24-point lead was established.

Yet the Giants, to their credit, were far from downbeat.

By the 65th minute, Gene, who had moved from loose-forward to hooker after Green had been substituted, broke clear in spectacular fashion and fed Chris Langley to perfection for the winger to be rewarded for his outstanding reading of the situation by racing away to score.

And 10 minutes later the deficit was further reduced when Costin intercepted on his own 25 and made 50 yards before Brett Dallas tracked him down.

Reilly was up in support to dash over from acting half and gain his reward for another solid performance.

Two late Wigan tries from Farrell and Radlinski took the visitors back into a commanding lead and gave an exceptionally false-looking final scoreline.

Wigan may have taken the honours, but the Giants took almost all the credit.

MATCH FACTS

Huddersfield Giants - Reilly; Frew (Thorman, 65mins), Cardoza, Gleeson, Langley; Costin, Kusto; Marshall (Walker, 70mins), Green (Fearon, 50mins), Stone (Molyneux 47mins, Molloy 72mins), Lomax, Walker (Molloy, 27mins, Stone, 50mins), Gene.

Tries - Frew (3mins), Costin (14mins), Langley (65mins), Reilly (75mins).

Goals - Costin 4 from 4.

Wigan - Radlinski; Dallas, Johnson, Hodgson, Carney; Jones, Lam (Cassidy, 67mins); Cowie (Stephenson, 27mins, Cowie, 72mins), Newton, Howard (Bibey, 53mins), Cassidy (Betts, 35mins), Furner (Aspinwall, 60mins), Farrell.

Tries - Newton (10mins), Hodgson (33mins), Howard (47mins), Farrell (50mins and 77mins), Furner (52mins), Radlinski (59mins & 79mins).

Goals - Farrell 8 from 9.

Half-time - 12-12.

Referee - Steve Ganson (St Helens).

Attendance - 4,039.

Scrums won - Huddersfield 10, Wigan 8.

Penalties conceded - Huddersfield 11, Wigan 7.

Top Huddersfield tacklers - Costin 30, Lomax 30, Marshall 24, Gene 20.