Late tries seal it for rivals in super finale

Jun 30 2003 By Chris Roberts, The Huddersfield Daily Examiner

Wolves 32 - 28 Giants. Same-again script is so deflating

With the Giants handed possession in the opposition 20, the ball was fed out to Stanley Gene who scorched through the defence and tumbled over the line in celebration.

Steve McNamara added the goal and the game was perfectly poised.

Within minutes of the restart, Smyth put a foot in touch in attempting to score, but in the 45th minute the Giants regained the lead.

A superb touchline run by O'Hare caught Warrington out on the fringes, and just before the line he drew full-back Appo and fed the supporting Paul March to score in the corner.

McNamara converted, it was 20-14 and the Giants had the momentum.

Yet that momentum was almost immediately lost as Julian Bailey pulled off a trysaving tackle on the rampaging Darren Burns and was quickly despatched to the sin-bin for holding down.

To say this was harsh would be an understatement, particulary as there had be no punishment for similar offences earlier in the game and no player had been warned that the sin-bin was on the cards.

But while Bailey was away, Briers landed the subsequent penalty and in the 56th minute Ian Sibbit crossed in the corner to level the scores again.

Two McNamara penalties helped nudge the Giants back ahead by the 65th minute, but the action was still far from reaching a conclusion.

Warrington pushed for the decisive try and after forcing Huddersfield to defend a third successive set of six on their line the pressure told as Mark Hilton burst through.