Head coach Rick Stone admitted Huddersfield were well below their best in an 18-10 victory over Catalans Dragons but is not underestimating the importance of the two points earned.

The Giants trailed for much of a lifeless encounter on the second day of the Dacia Magic Weekend at St James’ Park, a contest which featured several errors from both teams.

Catalans seemed poised to end a four-match losing streak as they led 10-6 with 10 minutes to go, but converted tries from Sam Rapira and Adam O’Brien saw Huddersfield snatch a win that moves them only a point behind the Perpignan-based club.

While Huddersfield remain 10th in the Betfred Super League standings, a defeat here would have left them marooned in the bottom three, a fact not lost on coach Stone.

The Australian said: “That’s massive for us, absolutely. In the context of the competition it was a pretty important game for us. Every game we play is really important at the moment.

“Catalans are probably tootling around similar to us. We weren’t great, I think both teams weren’t great. There were six or seven errors from both teams in the first half.

“In the end it was good to see the boys get a win.

“The game opened up a little bit for us right at the death and we were patient enough and hung in there and stayed close enough to give ourselves a chance, and that was important for us in the end.

“I’ve spoken to the boys about ‘will versus skill’ and sometimes the most skillful side wins the game and sometimes the team that wants to win wins the game a little bit more, and that was us today.”

Stone was particularly enthused by his side’s determination in defence in the second half, when they came under sustained pressure from Catalans and held firm before taking advantage in the closing stages.

He added: “I think our goal-line defence was the biggest difference, we have let in some soft tries this year and we showed a lot more resolve, better organisation and better decisions in our goalline defence.

“We defended tough, hung in there and then just finishing off and coming over the top with a little bit more will than them, I’d like to think, in the end.”

Laurent Frayssinous cut a disconsolate figure after Catalans succumbed to their fifth successive defeat.

In a terse press conference, the Catalans coach said: “It is very frustrating, it was an important game for us and we let the win past.

“We let the two points slip and that’s disappointing.

“Our game management in the last 10 minutes was not good, it’s as simple as that.

“Last week we were missing 12 players, this week we were missing eight players, and Ben Garcia hurt his calf again so I assume he’ll miss a bit more.

“To turn the luck we need to have some good, fit players on the field.”