Pre-season match report: Whitehaven 22 - 24 Huddersfield Giants

Jan 18 2010 by Chris Roberts, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

HUDDERSFIELD Giants’ heroics youngsters produced a Super League performance to beat full-strength Whitehaven 24-22 and underline the quality of the talent now waiting to emerge at the Galpharm Stadium.

On paper, it looked something of a miss-match, with the Super League club’s reserve side up against a powerful and vastly experienced Championship club.

But as soon as the Giants got on the field, they looked sharp, hungry and eager, and thoroughly deserved what was a highly memorable triumph.

All those in the claret and gold made a significant contribution, with many of the youngsters on show proving they may have what it takes to make it at Super League level.

Both sides lacked composure in their opposition’s 20 early on, with Elliott Hodgson doing much to keep the home side at bay.

An excellent one-on-one ball steal from the full-back thwarted Whitehaven on their first attack and then he produced an excellent last-ditch tackle to deny a rampaging Craig Calvert.

And those defensive efforts received the ultimate reward in the 15th minute as he grabbed the opening try.

Former Haven half-back Gregg McNally made it all possible, sending up a high ‘bomb’ on the sixth tackle that caused havoc in the Haven defence and enabled Hodgson to scoop up a loose ball and touch down with ease.

McNally, whose move to the Giants was the reason behind the Recreation Ground meeting, added the conversion and the West Yorkshire side had made their intentions clear.

There was, however, even better to follow six minutes later as the visitors doubled their lead.

Having twice forced Whitehaven to drop-out from under their own posts, the position was created for the excellent Adam Walker to drive the ball to the line for lively hooker Joe Parkinson to dive over from dummy half.

McNally once again goaled and it was 12-0.

More good approach play almost brought further reward for the Huddersfield youngsters, whose confidence was growing by the second.

But three minutes before the break that confidence finally took a knock when a rare slick of Haven attacking play gave Ryan McDonald the chance to crash over under the posts for Carl Rudd to convert and make it 12-6 at the break.

And at the start of the second half, the tide well and truly began to turn.

With Huddersfield constantly being penalised and all the 50-50 calls going against them, Whitehaven finally began to get on top.

They struck for a second time 10 minutes after the restart when Dylan Skee chipped ahead and Carl Rudd collected – despite clearly being in an offside position – and finished smartly to reduce the deficit to two points.