Thorman the inspiration!

May 20 2002 By Chris Roberts, The Huddersfield Daily Examiner

Dragons 30 - 45 Giants. AN almost unbelievable start blasted the fired-up Giants into the final of the Buddies National League Cup in the most spectacular of fashions.

In the 46th minute, the alert Gene picked up a loose Doncaster pass on halfway and outpaced Woodock and scrum half Dean Colton to touch down.

Then three minutes later Darren Turner and Hefin O'Hare were both stopped inches short before Crabtree powered over from a yard out.

Even with McNamara failing to add the extras, his side had hit the 40-point mark.

McNamara did, however, land penalties in the 59th and 61st minutes as Dragons prop Tony Atter was twice pulled up for high tackles.

That may have allowed the Giants to strengthen their grip on proceedings.

But two late tries from former Giants centre Dale Cardoza and Lee - both converted by Woodock - gave the home side a little more respectability.

Yet, fittingly, it was Thorman who finished the scoring by landing a drop goal to go with his earlier hat trick of tries which was to make all the difference.

MATCH FACTS

Doncaster Dragons Baker (Lawton 31mins); Woodcock, Golden (Garcia 52mins), Cardoza, Lee; Mansson, Colton; Hemmings (Forsyth 30mins, Lloyd 59mins), Edwards, Atter (Fielden 17mins), Ostler, Garcia (Atter 46mins), Green.

Tries - Lee (12mins & 68mins), Golden (18mins), Woodcock (34mins), Cardoza (66mins).

Goals - Woodcock 5 from 5.

Huddersfield Giants - Reilly (March 12mins); O'Hare (Wittenberg 67mins, bb), Crabtree, Cooper, Whittaker; Gene, Thorman; Slicker (Cruckshank 26mins, bb), Turner (Slicker 58mins), Wittenberg (Molyneux 46mins), Atkins (Rice 51mins), Roberts, McNamara (Turner 77mins).

Tries - Thorman (2mins, 5mins, 7mins), Crabtree (20mins & 49mins), Gene (28mins & 46mins).

Goals - McNamara 8 from 10.

Drop goal - Thorman.

Half-time - 18-32.

Referee - Peter Taberner (Wigan).

Attendance - 2,328.

Scrums won - Doncaster 9, Huddersfield 6.

Penalties conceded - Doncaster 13, Huddersfield 10.

Top Huddersfield tacklers - Wittenberg 28, Roberts 22, Atkins 21.

Next Giants match - Buddies Cup final against Hull KR at Featherstone (3.00) next Sunday.