Easy win but not a classic!

Jul 22 2002 By Chris Roberts, The Huddersfield Daily Examiner

Giants 54 - 14 Swinton Lions. A GOOD start and a good finish.

It was just the bit in between that left the Giants and their fans shaking their heads in frustration!

After racing over for two tries within the opening four minutes to take a 10-0 lead, thoughts of beating the League record 86-10 triumph set against Whitehaven a fortnight ago was top of the agenda.

But it wasn't until the final 11 minutes when three tries were added with ease that the Giants were able to re-create the Midas touch.

In between it was a tale of missed chances, poor execution and some lapses in defence which gave their spirited opponents a deserved 14 points.

Yes, such criticism may seem churlish after a fifth successive 50-point haul had been achieved.

But given the way Huddersfield have dominated the competition so impressively this season, anything but a total destruction of the opposition is regarded as relative failure.

Yet there were, however, several factors why Swinton were not completely destroyed.

First, there was the disruption in the Giants camp caused by the illness to head coach Tony Smith and hooker Paul March.

Then there was the shabbiness displayed by the Giants for large chunks of the contest. When, for instance, did the home side last make so many unforced errors?