Harmony reigns after fresh romp

Jan 21 2002 By Doug Thomson, The Huddersfield Daily Examiner

Batley 2 - Giants 34. HUDDERSFIELD might have reached the seven-game itch, but their relationship with the Northern Ford Premiership seems more harmonious than ever.

The Giants came through their first Batley derby since 1997 in convincing style, scoring six tries for the second match in a row to chalk up a sixth win of the term.

Tony Smith's team remain top ahead of Whitehaven, the only side to have denied them victory so far, and have collected more points (219) and conceded fewer (60) than any of their rivals.

Of course the really big tests, against fellow unbeaten teams Rochdale and Leigh have yet to come, but after the traumas of four seasons at the foot of Super League, players, officials and supporters alike are relishing the feel-good factor winning brings.

The sizeable contingent of visiting fans in a 1,866 crowd stayed to cheer their team off after they had come through a clash which had all the hallmarks of a banana skin.

Paul Storey's Batley side, including three ex-Huddersfield men in Dean Lawford, Steve Molloy and substitute Joe Naidole, went into yesterday's game on the back of four wins on the bounce and firmly believing they could put the brakes on the Giants' flying start.

And in theory, the gusting wind which ensured Mount Pleasant failed to live up to its name should have played into the hands of a home side already used to the vagaries of the hill-top ground's compact and sloping pitch.

But in practice, the Giants coped with the tricky conditions far better, and victory seemed likely from the moment busy hooker Paul March punched a big hole in the home defence for the first try in the 11th minute.

Batley, playing with the advantage of both the slope and the wind, did threaten from time to time in the first half, and bustling second row Mark Toohey had tries disallowed in the 20th and 26th minutes, both times for foward passes.

But Storey's men did themselves no favours by continually giving up possession early in the tackle count and throwing out wayward long balls, while half-backs Lawford and Glen Tomlinson, who had been at the heart of their side's previous good form, struggled to keep their kicks in play.

The Giants display was hardly flawless, but their defence, led by March and second rower Dave Atkins with 31 tackles apiece, was strong and their attacking swift and incisive enough to keep Batley on the back foot for long periods.

Meanwhile Thorman soon got over his failure to find touch with a first-minute penalty and produced a string of accurate kicks, both in open play and from set-pieces, notching two of his five goals from wide out and hitting the crossbar with his only unsuccesful attempt.

That was in the 18th minute, after his angled kick to the corner for right winger Hefin O'Hare to chase caused such confusion in the Batley rearguard that the ball ricocheted for centre Eorl Crabtree to collect and lunge over for his side's second try.

With March alert at the play-the-ball and Atkins and stand-off Stanley Gene catching the eye, Huddersfield continued to look dangerous, although it was Batley who registered the next points, full-back Jeremy Dyson landing a stoppage-time penalty initially awarded for a play-the-ball offence and taken forward 10 yards by referee Stuart Cummings because of dissent.

Batley badly needed more points early in the second half, and home hopes were raised when centre Ryan Horsley embarked on a weaving and dangerous run in the 44th minute, but Gene came to the Giants' rescue with a well-timed tackle - then ensured victory with tries in the 45th and 49th minutes, one set up by loose forward Steve McNamara and the other second row Rob Roberts.

After Atkins had created space with a surging 63rd-minute run, Roberts then took advantage of a quick pass from ever-alert dummy-half March to join Gene on three touchdowns for the season in the 63rd minute.

And three minutes later, Crabtree joined Thorman at the top of the club try chart by notching his second of the game and fifth of the season, this time when a neat passing move by Thorman, centre Ben Cooper and substitute Adam Hayes stretched the home defence.

Smith, who withdrew skipper McNamara as a precaution after he took a smack in the mouth in the 55th minute, can now look forward to Sunday's McAlpine Challenge Cup tie with Cumbrian minnows Wath Brow before NFP business resumes at home to Hunslet in a fortnight.

MATCH FACTS

Batley Bulldogs Dyson; North, Mann, Horsley, Gleadhill; Tomlinson (Harrison, 74mins), Lawford (Honor, 55mins, bb); Molloy (Naidole, 50mins, Molloy, 76mins), Honor (Cass, 30mins), Spink; Toohey (Smith, 42mins), Cartledge; Harrison (Sozi, 60mins).

Goal - Dyson (1 from 1).

Huddersfield Giants - Reilly (Hallas, 64mins); O'Hare, Crabtree, Cooper, Langley; Gene, Thorman; Slicker (Hayes, 36mins), March, Wittenberg (Molyneux, 23mins, Slicker 60mins); Atkins (Wittenberg, 71mins), Roberts (Molyneux, 75mins); McNamara (Rice, 55mins, bb).

Tries - March (11mins), Crabtree (18 and 66mins), Gene (45 and 49mins), Roberts (63mins).

Goals - Thorman (5 from 6).

Referee - Stuart Cummings (Widnes).

Half-time - 2-10.

Attendance - 1,866.

Scrums won - Batley 7, Giants 14.

Penalties conceded - Batley 9, Giants 7.

Top Huddersfield tacklers - March 31, Atkins 31, Slicker 28, Molyneux 24, Gene 24.

Next Giants match - home to Wath Brow Hornets, Challenge Cup third round, Sunday (3.00).