Giants hang on in tense finale

Jul 29 2002 By Chris Roberts, The Huddersfield Daily Examiner

Oldham 30 - 32 Giants. THE out-of-sorts Giants were forced to dig deeper against inspired Oldham yesterday than at any other stage during this season of success.

Under-pressure Huddersfield had to overcome another week of disruption, the 65th-minute dismissal of hooker Darren Turner and a late Roughyeds fightback to keep their unbeaten record intact.

Having led 26-8 at the break, the Giants looked to be well on their way to another comfortable victory.

Yet on this occasion, the story had a different script.

Inspired by new player-coach and former Giants prop Steve Molloy, Oldham turned the game totally on its head.

By the hour mark, the lead had been cut to 32-18 and, following Turner's dismissal for an alleged head butt on Joey Hayes, the home side scored twice more to make it 32-30 with four tense and thoroughly-absorbing minutes remaining.

Fortunately, the Giants held on - just!

An outstanding take of a high kick under immense pressure from Matthew Whittaker with two minutes remaining and then Hefin O'Hare's clearance of a ball on his own line following an Oldham kick-through kept everyone on their toes and far away from the exits.

So when the final hooter sounded shortly after, there was a real sense of relief as much as joy in the Giants' camp.

But there should also have been a little amount of concern scattered among those emotions.