Last-gasp heartache

Jul 19 2003 By Doug Thomson, The Huddersfield Daily Examiner

St Helens 22 - 18 Huddersfield Giants. Second half mistakes so costly after super Costin stuns Saints.

That speaks volumes for the progress being made under the intelligent Australian coach, whose side more than lived up to their recent rave reviews in the opening half.

With centre Julian Bailey and prop Darren Fleary to the fore, they soaked up Saints' early attacks before striking ruthlessly in the seventh minute.

There seemed little immediate danger from a scrum on the Giants 40, but loose-forward Steve McNamara's swift pass freed the fleet-footed Costin, who cruised through a gap and beat the chase of Mike Bennett to plunge between the posts and leave McNamara with a simple goal.

Saints, who had lost Great Britain star Paul Sculthorpe to a hamstring injury, looked at sixes and sevens, and Bailey went close after Anthony Stewart knocked on under his own posts.

McNamara did stretch the lead with a 15th-minute penalty awarded for a professional foul by Wellens on Lee St Hilaire which brought a yellow card.

And the Giants made the most of their numerical superiority in the 20th minute when Paul March picked out Costin, whose mazy run left three challengers on the floor and paved the way for another McNamara goal.

Long sent the kick-off out on the full, and with the resultant penalty banged into touch to set up another attack, it took a desperate tackle by Chris Joynt to deny the rampaging Jim Gannon.

Darren Turner and Morrison had to make crucial challenges on Wellens and Long, but it was Huddersfield who were looking the more dangerous, with Costin going agonisingly close to a hat trick after more good work by March.

Another try at that stage (the 38th minute) would have given Saints a mountain to climb, but having survived, coach Millward took the chance to re-organise at the break and his side finally broke through when Darren Albert finished off good work by fellow winger Stewart on 46 minutes, when Long added the goal.

A rare Reilly slip set up the scrum which led to Saints' second, scored from close range by Cunningham and goaled by Long, in the 50th minute.