Unconvincing but Giants win

Aug 5 2002 By Chris Roberts, The Huddersfield Daily Examiner

Keighley 10 - 34 Giants. LACKLUSTRE Huddersfield stuttered and stumbled to another far-from-convincing victory as Keighley battled for their lives at soggy Cougar Park.

The Giants gained the points, but it was the Cougars who earned the praise for a performance of great spirit and enthusiasm.

Yet while Keighley coach Gary Moorby was left glowing with pride over the way his young side had acquitted themselves against the unbeaten NFP leaders, Giants coach Tony Smith's emotions were of a somewhat different nature.

For a second successive week, his side had failed to deliver a performance of any genuine merit.

This effort and the one produced in the narrow 32-30 win at Oldham the week before were performances far removed from earlier in the term when they were brushing aside the top opposition and rattling up 50 points without appearing to break sweat.

The all-round fluency, the cutting edge on attack and the vice-like defence have, for the time being, gone AWOL.

And for Smith, this will not have been pleasing to see.

As he admits himself, it's impossible to play at 100% intensity throughout a season - especially one that lasts an amazing 10 months!

But there must surely be some concern that his side looked so out-of-sorts at a time when they should be gearing up for a final push towards a return to Super League.

Let's just hope that the illness that has affected so many within the camp - including Rob Roberts and Paul March, who did at least make positive returns - has had a far greater influence on the squad than they are trying to make out.