Huddersfield Giants have the chance to move within a point of third-placed Wigan with a win over Hull KR this weekend.

The Warriors’ surprise 17-6 defeat at struggling Warrington meant they failed to move five points clear of fourth-placed Huddersfield with three games for them left to play in the regular Super League season.

And if the Giants secure a victory over the Robins at the John Smith’s Stadium, coach Paul Anderson’s men will prepare for their final regular fixtures away to St Helens and Catalans and at home to Wakefield within striking distance of the Cherry and Whites, who finish with home games against Leeds and Widnes and at Hull.

Wigan should be confident of winning at least two of those fixtures, although coach Shaun Wane knows his side will have to improve dramatically to guarantee a big top-flight finish.

“We didn’t give ourselves a chance to win,” said Wane straight after the Warrington defeat. “There were so many errors, I think we had 62 per cent completion.

“They were the best team and deserved the win.

“Perhaps it would have been better if they had been at full strength, I think that may have got to us, mentally.

“We didn’t have conviction and didn’t put any pressure on them. They were fantastic and dominated the floor. It was a great atmosphere and you need a real strong referee when you come here

“The game was painfully slow and it was allowed to be that way. They got away with it and fair play to them.”

At the same time, Warrington coach Tony Smith praised his side’s “gutsy” effort as they overcame the absence of eight senior players to strengthen their Super League top-eight hopes with the win.

“It was probably our best defensive effort for a long while,” Smith said. “I thought we were outstanding.

“With the ball I didn’t think we were great and some of Wigan’s execution was not as good as it has been. Some of that was down to my boys, but had their chances gone to hand, they would have tested us a lot more.

“For us it was about digging deep. We had a tough encounter last week and it was backs-to-the-wall stuff.”