McNamara boot proves crucial

Apr 2 2002 By Chris Roberts, The Huddersfield Daily Examiner

No doubt it would have been a different story if the likes of the rested Stanley Gene, Hefin O'Hare and Paul March had been a part of the equation - they are clearly three of Huddersfield's most lethal attacking weapons.

But the Giants also missed the forward punch of the in-form Rob Roberts and Heath Cruckshank, as well as the experience of Graeme Hallas, who has been a real rock in the back line over the past month.

Not that the early signs suggested they were being missed.

Within three minutes the Giants had struck up the infamous Mount Pleasant slope as Andy Rice raced on to a long McNamara pass for his second try of the season.

McNamara failed with the touchline conversion, but that proved to be his only miss of the night.

Fourteen minutes later he made no mistake with his second attempt after acting captain Darren Turner had crashed over from close range in typical fashion to extend the lead to 10 points.

At that stage everything was going according to plan.

But within two minutes, Batley's top-class half-back duo of Lawford and Glen Tomlinson had combined for Ryan Horsley to send winger Paul Gleadhill over in the corner.

The Bulldogs had thrown down the gauntlet.

A McNamara penalty five minutes before the break eased the Giants further ahead, but within three minutes of the restart Batley were right back in contention.

Some almost inexplicable Huddersfield tackling allowed Lawford the opportunity to break away and feed Danny Maun to race in for the home side's second try and make it 12-8.