Crabtree's hat trick

Nov 17 2001 By Chris Roberts, The Huddersfield Daily Examiner

Cougars 22 Giants 30. BIG Eorl Crabtree helped Huddersfield secure a morale-boosting pre-season victory at Keighley by charging over for a hat trick of tries - as a centre!

The Great Britain Academy prop could not have made the switch more successfully as he powered his 6ft 4in, 17stone frame over the line three times to shatter the home side's hopes of pulling off a shock victory.

But with Crabtree, Mick Slicker, Paul Reilly and Adam Hayes all scoring tries that was never likely to happen.

Admittedly, Keighley did have one excellent spell and clawed their way back from 24-4 to 24-22 with 12 minutes remaining.

Yet that had been achieved when coach Tony Smith embarked on a widespread substitution programme which upset the side's rhythm and gave the youngsters a taste of senior action.

And it was clearly noticeable how the tide turned back in the visitors' favour when the Giants' `big guns' returned to the field in the final 10 minutes and paved the way for Hayes to crash over for the match-clincher.

Not surprisingly, it was Smith's senior players who had caused all the early damage and enabled Huddersfield to build up their 24-4 advantage midway through the second period of the three 25-minute sections.

After conceding a fourth-minute try to Gareth Hooson after a Danny Fearon kick-through had caused confusion in the Giants' defence, the visitors' class began to shine through.

With Hefin O'Hare in rock-solid form and half-backs Steve McNamara and Mark Moxon beginning to direct the traffic, the openings soon began to appear.

By the eighth minute the sides were level as Crabtree collected McNamara's short pass to crash over.

Then 10 minutes later the Giants hit the front as Rob Roberts' short reverse ball was collected at pace by the on-rushing Mick Slicker who scattered defenders all around as he burst over the line.

McNamara converted and a 10-4 lead was thoroughly deserved.

And that advantage was even greater in the 22nd minute as the ball was kept alive for Paul Reilly to finish off, with McNamara again adding the extras.

The start of the second third was even more promising, especially with the advantage of playing down the Keighley slope.

Within two minutes the brilliant Stanley Gene had embarked on a dazzling break which culminated in Crabtree adding try No2.

Then with new signing Paul March slotting effortlessly in as hooker and trialist Chris Kitching looking assured at half-back a fourth try was soon on the board, with Crabtree again profiting from the pressure.

It was then time for Smith to `blood' the youngsters.

And although it was during this time that the Cougars fought back to score tries through Chris Hannah, Matty Firth and Paul Ashton, who added all three conversions, the Giants head coach was still encouraged by what he had seen.

The disruption the wholesale changes caused would have affected a team full of internationals, never mind a group of talented teenagers - a point Smith was keen to emphasise.

And in the end it was left to Huddersfield's frontline players to make the game safe with one final concerted effort bringing Hayes his try, converted by McNamara.

Match facts:

Keighley Cougars Rushforth; Horne, Smith, Wilkes, Hooson; Ashton, Firth; Stephenson, Ramshaw, Boothroyd, Banks, Simeunovich, Fearon. Subs (all used): Mitchell, Hannah, Morphet, Fellows.

Huddersfield Giants - Reilly; Cooper, Crabtree, Hallas, O'Hare; McNamara, Moxon; Slicker, Hayes, Molyneux, Walker, Roberts, Rice. Subs (all used): Wittenberg, March, Gene, Kitching, Grayshon, Sheriffe, White, Waddle, Plume, Simpson, Feehan, Elswood, Joseph.

Referee - Ben Thaler (Wigan).

Attendance - 1,275.