HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS are off the mark at the Galpharm Stadium in Super League X!

After home defeats to top sides Hull and Leeds, the Giants made it third time lucky with a thoroughly deserved win over Widnes.

Victory was achieved thanks to a devastating first-half performance in which Huddersfield raced into a 22-4 interval lead and then extended their advantage with a fifth try within a minute of the restart.

Unfortunately, some of the gloss was taken off the triumph by the concession of three tries in the final half-hour, which gave the scoreline a look that failed to reflect the Giants' overall domination of the contest.

But after the stuttering display against world champions Leeds just five days before, the main objective had been achieved - getting back on track by defeating the Vikings!

Once again the Giants got off to the worst possible start as they conceded a try after just four minutes to Simon Finnigan.

Yet thankfully on this occasion, Huddersfield were quickly able to steady the ship and were soon gaining the upper hand.

Within seven minutes they had levelled the scores when Paul March's excellent kick to the corner on the sixth tackle was gathered by Eorl Crabtree to score his third try of the campaign, with all three having come in this manner.

Chris Thorman was unable to add the touchline conversion, but he made no mistake with his other five attempts.

Success No1 came in the 24th minute as the Giants took a lead they were never to lose.

The outstanding fit-again Paul Reilly made it possible, releasing Thorman 40m out and sending him clear to find the supporting Paul White to finish off.

Then in the 33rd minute the dangerous White added a second, somehow stepping through a three-man Widnes tackle to score by the posts after initial good work from fellow in-form duo James Evans and Stuart Jones.

And just before the break, Reilly's magnificent efforts were rewarded when he gathered the ball from acting half-back 40m out, ducked under his marker and then had the pace and power to plunge over in the corner.

Thorman added a magnifcent conversion and everything was going according to plan.

And it got even better within a minute of the restart as impressive Brad Drew showed a great turn of pace to race clear and find Paul March who in turn fed Marcus St Hilaire to cross.

Three minutes later Paul Smith appeared to have scored following a powerful blindside run, but after spending an eternity watching the `try' on replay, video referee Steve Cross ruled the second-rower had lost control of the ball.

It was a decision which seemed to knock the Giants out of their stride.

Although a Thorman break from deep almost took him over the Widnes line in the 46th minute, it was the visitors who responded far more positively to the video referee's call.

In the 51st minute Finnigan plunged over for his second, converted by Steve Rowlands, and three minutes later Aaron Moule was over in the corner and Widnes were just 14 points adrift.

Thorman and White then came desperately close to calming the Giants nerves before Moule picked up a loose ball in his own 20 and raced the length of the field to cut the deficit still further.

At that stage, a Vikings win wasn't being ruled out, even if on the balance of play it would hardly have been deserved.

But to the relief of the Giants, the visitors approach play began to falter and a minute before the break Huddersfield made the game safe.

Once again it was a March kick-through on the sixth tackle which made it possible, with the bounce favouring St Hilaire to finish off the scoring and the Vikings!