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

Briers goaled and it was 26-24 with 11 minutes remaining.

Smyth crossed for his second six minutes later and Briers landed the touchline conversion to give his side an eight-point lead.

But the Giants regained possession from the restart and on the sixth tackle March kicked to the corner for Costin to get the vital touch.

The lead was just four points, although in the events that followed the Giants could easily have snatched at least a share of the spoils.

MATCH FACTS

Giants: Reilly, O'Hare, Bailey, Costin, St Hilaire, Gene, March, Fleary, Turner, Gannon, Roarty, O'Doherty, Bloem, Holroyd, McNamara, Morrison, Slicker

Wolves: Appo, Smyth, Grose, Sibbit, Gaskell, Briers, Wood, Fozzard, Clarke, Hilton, Noone, Burns, Domic, Gleeson, Hulse, Stevens, Sturm

KEY MAN: Jim Gannon

IN a bruising battle in the forwards, Giants prop Jim Gannon stood up to be counted and made life difficult for the Warrington six. His efforts, both in attack and defence, brought praise from the two rivals camps at the end of an absorbing contest.

KEY MOMENT:

THE controversial sin-binning of Julian Bailey for holding down in the 48th-minute enabled Warrington to claw back a six-point deficit during his absence. But also playing with 12 men at a crucial stage went on to take its toll physically on the Giants later in the contest.

KEY STATS

Warrington. Tries: Appo (11mins), Briers (29mins), Smyth (34mins & 75mins), Sibbit (56mins), Hilton (69mins). Goals: Briers 4 from 7.

Huddersfield. Tries: Fleary (7mins), Gene (38mins), March (45mins), Costin (77mins). Goals: Costin 2 from 2, McNamara 4 from 5.

Sin-binning: Bailey (holding down, 48mins).

Half-time: 14-14.

Referee: Steve Ganson (St Helens).

Attendance: 5,689.

Scrums won: Warrington 3, Huddersfield 6.

Penalties conceded: Warrington 6, Huddersfield 7.