Heroic Huddersfield Giants fought back from a 22-6 deficit after 36 minutes to share in a thrilling 24-24 draw with leaders Leeds Rhinos in a thrilling Super League XX encounter.
By the 66th minute the home side had shown all their true grit and determination to nudge 24-22 ahead and turn a dramatic clash totally on its head.
But such was the nature of the contest that Liam Sutcliffe levelled the scores in the 76th minute to leave everyone’s nerves in shreds.
In the last few moments both sides had a chance to snatch victory, with Leeds throwing everything at the Huddersfield line as the final hooter sounded.
It was an amazing end to an amazing contest.
The Giants couldn’t have made a better start to the contest.
They were immediately on the front foot and deservedly took the lead after four minutes.
Danny Brough made it possible, collecting possession on halfway and stepping through a static defence to shoot clear and release the supporting Joe Wardle to finish strongly.
Brough converted and it was 6-0.
The lead was close to being doubled seven minutes later when Ukuma Ta’ai and Brough both had claims to have scored denied by video referees Ben Thaler and Steve Ganson.
But that call was the first of a few that went against the Giants and turned the tide the Rhinos’ way.
In the 14th minute Leeds struck for the first time through Brett Delaney, although replays showed Carl Ablett had knocked-on in the build-up.
Then eight minutes later, Craig Kopzcak was harshly just to have shoulder-charged an opponent, and from the subsequent set Ablett crashed over.
With Liam Sutcliffe adding both conversions, Leeds were 12-6 ahead.
That was extended to 18-6 in the 31st minute when Joel Moon caused hesitation in the Huddersfield defence and the. Had the strength to touch down.
still in the contest
Good link-up play close to the Giants line helped Kallum Watkins dived over for a fourth try.
But with Sutcliffe failing to convert and Brough landing a penalty on the stroke of half-time, the Giants were still in the contest at 22-8.
In a tight start to the second half it took the Giants 19 minutes to reduce the deficit when Scott Grix fed Michael Lawrence to crash over from five metres, with Brough’s conversion edging the hosts to within eight points.
The only downside to the score was the fact Lawrence was forced to leave the field with an ankle knock picked up in the act of touching down.
Yet his replacement, Ta’ai made an immediate impact, bursting through the Leeds defence with his first touch to create the position for Brough to kick to the corner for winger Jermaine McGillvary to out-jump his opponents and juggle the ball before planting it firmly down for a third four-pointer for his side.
Brough failed to land the touchline conversion, but at 22-18 it was now a one-score game with 17 minutes remaining.
And three minutes later the Giants were over again as Brough’s inside ball found Wardle to scorch through, although after a long loom by the video referees for a possible obstruction.
Brough goaled and the Giants were almost remarkably ahead again at 24-22.
On a rare second-half excursion into Giants territory, Sutcliffe levelled the scores with a 76th-minute penalty to set up a nail-biting finale.
Sutcliffe almost gave Leeds the lead again, but saw his drop-goal attempt go wide, while Brough’s effort moments later from much further out went nowhere near.
However, the most telling Brough one-point effort came in the final seconds when his attempt was charged down and kicked upfield by the Rhinos and the ball was passed out wide to Rob Burrow, who looked a certain scorer until he slipped at the vital moment.
If he had stayed on his feet, it would have been cruel in the extreme on the brave Giants who had battled all the way to take something from the contest.
