HUDDERSFIELD Giants are now two points clear at the top of Super League XVII after rattling up their most significant victory of the season.
A 22-4 home success over in-form second-placed Hull FC is surely further proof that head coach Nathan Brown’s men really could be the real deal.
Hull may have headed to the Galpharm having won their last six top-flight fixtures and with the best defensive record in the competition.
But at the end of a gruelling 80-minute war of attrition they proved no match for a dogged and determined Giants side who created three well-worked tries and, just as significantly, prevented their visitors from crossing their tryline.
In all honesty, it couldn’t have gone that much better as win No9 was safely banked, despite Brown making several changes to the side that had cruised to the 36-10 home triumph over Salford City Reds on Good Friday.
The Galpharm chief sprung a big surprise in his starting line-up by giving back-rower Jon Molloy a first start since featuring in the win at Harlequins 13 months ago, with former centre Michael Lawrence alongside him and opposite an impressive-looking Hull pack.
There was also a start for fit-again prop Keith Mason following minor knee surgery and winger Aaron Murphy, who had also been absent with a similar problem.
Scott, Grix, David Fa’alogo and Joe Wardle were others to return after missing the Salford game, with David Faiumu, Dale Ferguson, Luke George, Lee Gilmour, Shaun Lunt and Luke O’Donnell sitting out the contest after featuring against the City Reds.
And the start to the contest couldn’t have gone much worse as in-form Tommy Lee was forced to leave the field after just two minutes with a knee injury, although Hull were also soon down to 16 men when Martin Aspinwall suffered the same fate after a crunching tackle from Fa’alogo and Mason.
That challenge summed up what was an incredibly ferocious opening period between two incredibly evenly-matched sides keen to justify why they were at the top of the table.
With chances at an absolute premium, with the defence of both teams of the highest order, it was no surprise it was just 2-2 at the break, although the amount of spilt possession wouldn’t have pleased either coach.
Hull drew first blood after nine minutes when Danny Tickle banged over a penalty for a high shot.
But the hosts were level six minutes later, after being rewarded for a dazzling period of play, started by Greg Eden who collected close to his line before embarking on a magical weaving 50m run.
A wonderful Kirk Yeaman tackle then denied Danny Brough seconds later before the inspirational scrum half slotted over a penalty after FC had been caught offside.
The Giants continued to enjoy the lion’s share of possession, but continued to be thwarted by a stubborn defensive effort and plenty of dropped ball in good positions.
Having said that, forwards Jason Chan, Larne Patrick and Eorl Crabtree could all count themselves unlucky to have been halted with the tryline within sniffing distance.
The collisions were just as brutal at the start of the second half, with Tickle needing lengthy on-field treatment as soon as the action had got back under way.
And there was no less intensity in the encounter, with both sides working overtime to carve out openings.
Early Hull pressure forced the Giants to drop-out from under their own posts, but Grix then twice went close to opening the try-scoring when he first agonisingly failed to collect his own kick and then amazing defence somehow worked to hold up the half-back over the line.
But it was the visitors who re-gained the lead for a second time when Tickle banged over a penalty after the Giants had obstructed from a Hull kick-through.
That, however, was just what the home side required to help them step up a gear and, within four minutes, they had hit the front for the first time when Crabtree collected 10m out and showed magnificent strength to power through four tackles to score.
Brough’s conversion made it 8-4.
Then good work from Jason Chan and Crabtree created the opportunity for Luke Robinson to plunge over from acting half-back close to the line for a second converted score in the space of six minutes.
Huddersfield continued to turn the screw when Brough landed a second penalty after he had been caught by a high shot.
And it got even better a minute later when Brough broke from deep and released Joe Wardle, who was able to slip out of Jordan Turner’s desperate attempted tackle to slide over in the corner for the inspirational No7 to add a wonderful touchline conversion.
Hull winger Tom Briscoe showed great pace to deny Eden after another break with a minute remaining, not that it mattered of course.
This was another win which showed the Giants really do mean business this season.
