MAGNIFICENT Huddersfield Giants hit back at all their Super League play-off doubters by producing a rousing display to claim the prize scalp of one of their rivals for a top-six spot.

Only victory against Widnes would have been good enough to keep their glimmering play-off hopes alive.

But the Giants' amazing Super League adventure goes on after they dug deeper than ever to secure two more valuable top-flight points.

It was a victory they thoroughly deserved, combining some inventive attacking play with a courageous effort on defence.

Even without main strike weapons Brandon Costin and Stanley Gene, the Giants posed a genuine threat throughout and their reward was to leapfrog the Vikings in the Super League table and go up to ninth.

Getting into the all-important six remains a very tall order, yet even if their seemingly mission impossible ends in failure, this has still been a superb season.

And results and performances like yesterday's are the reasons why.

In a magnificent all-round team effort in which every player contributed to the full, the Giants recovered from going 4-0 down to an eighth-minute Adam Hughes try to go on and dominate the contest.

Yet in another Titanic battle between these two perfectly-matched sides - the third of the season - it was only in the final 17 minutes that the Giants made it truly count.

Two converted tries and a Steve McNamara drop goal finally sealed Widnes' fate and guarantees that Huddersfield will go into Friday's crunch Super League clash against Warrington at the McAlpine in the best possible shape.

The way the Giants recovered from Hughes' early score underlined yet again the excellent spirit that exists within the McAlpine camp, and it took just four minutes for them to ease ahead for the first time.

Although good approach play made it possible, it would be wrong not to describe the Giants opening try as a magnificent individual effort from outstanding full-back Paul Reilly.

Collecting the ball 15 metres out, he jinked past several markers and then twisted out of a couple of tackles to plant the ball down by the posts.

Steve McNamara converted and Huddersfield had the lead.

In an enthralling battle, it wasn't until the 36th minute that the advantage was increased as McNamara banged over a penalty after good work from Paul March.

Minutes later, however, came a major talking point.

Widnes prop David Mills powered his way to the line, was half-tackled and carried on before plunging over the tryline, only to have the ball stolen from him heroically by Reilly.

To everyone's confusion, referee Ashley Klein then awarded Widnes a penalty, claiming that as Mills had already been half-tackled, Reilly had taken the ball as part of a two-man tackle.

"If that wasn't a penalty try, I don't know what is," fumed Widnes coach Neil Kelly.

Instead, his side had to settle for two points from the boot of Stephen Myler and the half-time lead was 8-6 to the Giants.

Within three minutes of the restart, however, that lead was up to six points, courtesy of a gift from Hughes.

The powerful centre foolishly elected to try and keep the ball alive inside his own 20 on the first tackle and put the ball to ground.

The alert Hefin O'Hare was quickly on hand to scoop up possession and charged over for a gift four points.

Unfortunately, McNamara's conversion attempt hit a post and just one converted try separated the sides.

Magnificent defence denied Andy Hay three minutes later, and then 10 minutes later incredible tackling on the Giants line again helped keep the Vikings at bay.

But in the 58th minute the pressure finally took its toll as a great attacking move ended with Jason Demetriou crossing in the corner for Myler to add a magnificent touchline goal.

At 12-12 the game was perfectly poised and thoughts of a second draw to go along with 30-30 stalemate at the McAlpine last month were surfacing.

But Huddersfield had very different ideas.

With 17 minutes remaining coach Tony Smith's men made their decisive, match-winning move.

March's runs across the face of the Widnes defence caused a moment of hesitation, and before they had time to react the on-rushing Jamie Bloem had latched onto an inside ball and sliced through to score under the posts.

Bloem, who is being linked with a move to Wakefield Trinity Wildcats, then followed up by adding his own conversion and it was 18-12.

That was extended to 19 six minutes later as McNamara coolly slotted over a drop goal, and time was beginning to run out for the anxious visitors.

The Vikings were not helped by having to drop out from under their own posts in the 73rd and 75th minutes.

And in the 79th minute the victory was sealed.

Reilly was taken high by Daniel Frame inside the Widnes half, and the decision was taken to run the ball.

It was decision which immediately brought its reward as March dummied and jinked his way over from 20 metres for a third converted try.

MATCH FACTS

Giants: Reilly, O'Hare, Bloem, Bailey, St Hilaire, McNamara, March, Fleary, Turner, Gannon, Crabtree, Roarty, O'Doherty; Whittaker, Slicker, Morrison, White

Vikings: Spruce, Potter, Demetriou, Hughes, Devlin, Jules O'Neill, Sheridan, Relf, Millard, Julian O'Neill, Frame, McCurrie, Bird; Cantillon, Finnigan, Farrell, Atcheson

KEY MAN

IN another match in which a whole host of Giants players could have secured the man-of-the-match award, the honour went to Paul March for his latest non-stop scrum-half display. It was, of course, capped off with a 79th-minute individual try.

KEY MOMENT

GIANTS' full-back Paul Reilly's brave effort to steal the ball off big prop David Mills as he crashed over the home side's tryline on the stroke of half-time. Referee Ashley Klein then gave Widnes a penalty, claiming the ball had been stolen as part of a two-man tackle and prompting Vikings official to ask why it wasn't a penalty try.

KEY STATS

Huddersfield. Tries: Reilly (12mins), O'Hare (43mins), Bloem (63mins), March (79mins) . Goals: McNamara 3 from 4, Bloem 1 from 1. Drop goal: McNamara.

Widnes. Tries: Hughes (8mins), Demetriou (58mins). Goals: Myler 2 from 2, Hughes 0 from 1.

Half-time: 8-6.

Referee: Ashley Klein (London).

Attendance: 3,955.

Scrums won: Huddersfield 10, Widnes 3.

Penalties conceded: Huddersfield 10, Widnes 9.

Next Giants game: Home to Warrington Wolves on Friday (8.00).

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