Giants quickly back in groove

May 13 2002 By Chris Roberts, The Huddersfield Daily Examiner

Oldham 16 - 36 Giants. HUDDERSFIELD Giants wasted little time getting back to business with a typically clinical performance to brush aside their latest opponents.

A three-week rest has clearly done nothing to dampen their enthusiasm or blunt their killer instinct.

After a jittery opening in which Oldham took a second-minute lead and looked the sharper side for the opening 10 minutes, the Giants got down to the business.

Once the rustiness caused by the break had been oiled away, Huddersfield began to take control.

By half-time, they had built up an 18-4 lead - the margin of which was somewhat cruel on the home side - and within 13 minutes of the restart the advantage had been increased to 36-4.

It was already game over.

Oldham's perserverance, coupled with the visitors subconsciously stepping down a gear, a need to replace main players at key times and an erratic refereeing display from Peter Taberner did enable the home side to claw back the deficit.

But Huddersfield were never really in the slightest danger of losing this contest once they had recovered from the early setback.

On Oldham's first attack, Gareth Barber's high kick was fumbled by the Giants' defence and the stand-off gleefully followed up to regain possession and race in at the corner.

John Braddish was unable to add the conversion - as did teammates Barber and Keith Brennan with their attempts - but at 4-0 the hosts had made the perfect start in their bid to maintain their unbeaten record at Hurst Cross.