It was a Huddersfield Giants performance that did Jennifer Davy proud.
The players, just like the claret and gold faithful, loved Jennifer to bits, and it must have been tough for them to take to the field so soon after the sudden death of club owner Ken’s wife.
Yet they put that raw emotion to one side to produce a dazzling against-all-odds display to turn the formbook upside down and secure a thoroughly-deserved Super League triumph at second-placed Leeds Rhinos.
It was Huddersfield’s first win in their last 10 League and Cup encounters, and with this performance it was hard to understand why their recent record has been so wretched.
The Giants more than held their own during a heartening opening 40 minutes, which will have impressed many inside the Headingley stadium, including a very interested spectator in England manager Gareth Southgate.
The performance was certainly in stark contrast to five days earlier and their sorry home Challenge Cup exit at the hands of Championship strugglers Swinton Lions.
On this occasion, Huddersfield did look like a genuine Super League side.
With several senior players returning after sitting out the weekend horror show, the Giants were immediately on the front foot, with a first-minute Danny Brough 40-20 setting the tone.
And it was definitely against the run of play when Matt Parcell darted over under the posts for Kallum Watkins to add the extras in the 13th minute.
But the visitors’ response couldn’t have been more positive.
Within five minutes the scores were level as Jake Mamo collected Alex Mellor’s kick-through to touch down for a try converted by Brough.
It was then just a further five minutes before the Giants were ahead for the first time.
A Kruise Leeming 40-20 put his side on the front foot and from the resulting set the hooker backed up his successful kick by plunging over under the posts for a second converted score.
Jack Walker and Stevie Ward then combined to send Joel Moon over, despite the best efforts of Darnell McIntosh to intercept, and Watkins added the goal to even things up for a second time.
Just like in the first half, the Giants looked the likelier at the start of the second, but were lucky not to fall behind in the 53rd minute when video referee Robert Hicks ruled out a Danny McGuire ‘touchdown’ for obstruction.
Moments later lively Adam O’Brien was held up over the tryline on his Giants Super League debut before his dab-through was pounced on by Dale Ferguson to get the nod by Hicks for the try.
Brough’s conversion took the Giants six points ahead again.
And that lead was extended five minutes later when Adam Cuthbertson spilled the ball on his own 20, and the ball was whipped out to Brough to send McIntosh racing in at the corner for Brough to land an excellent touchline conversion.
He then nudged his side three scores ahead in the 67th minute with a well-taken drop goal to add to the home side’s growing sense of anxiety.
Then Giants forward Oliver Roberts showed amazing strength to power over on the last tackle for the decisive try.
Video referee Hicks took an age to give the decision, but when it came and Brough converted, it signalled a mass blue and amber exodus.
