HUDDERSFIELD Giants have reached the Junior Academy First Division Grand Final the hard way.

After losing at Warrington in the qualifying semi-final, coach Chris Plume's side made no mistake the second time around by winning 14-12 at Salford.

That set up a re-match with Warrington at the Halliwell-Jones Stadium on Thursday (8.00).

The young Giants' route to the final couldn't have been tougher.

Beaten 40-16 by Warrington in that opening semi-final, they had to immediately dust themselves down for what was always going to be a difficult clash with the City Reds at The Willows.

Home advantage was conceded because the Galpharm Stadium was unavailable.

And the host team were on a high following an emphatic 28-0 triumph over London Broncos the previous week.

Yet such was the character, courage and determination shown by the Giants that they were not to be denied.

This was far from being the greatest performance in the world, with vital possession squandered at an alarming rate, particularly in the second half.

But Huddersfield made up for those major misdemeanours by producing a defensive display of the highest order.

Almost the entire second 40 minutes were spent in the visitors' half, with the City Reds creating chance after chance.

However, in the Giants defence, they met their match.

Time and again Salford took the play to the Huddersfield line, only to be denied by 13 brave players who were all willing to put their bodies on the line.

That was epitomised in the final play of the game.

Knowing time was against them, the home side mounted one last rally, with the ball reaching winger Darren Bamford.

There seemed to be a slight gap in the corner, but as Bamford charged to the line, Giants full-back Gareth Hull came from nowhere to take him into touch.

The final whistle then sounded, and victory and a final berth had been secured.

And how well it had been deserved.

After falling behind to a Steve King try and Tim Hartley goal after just two minutes, the Giants dominated the remainder of the first half.

Within four minutes, the visitors had drawn level with a typically powerful short-range try from prop Jason Southwell, goaled by Thomas Hemingway.

A Hemingway penalty after 30 minutes nudged his side ahead for the first time, before the Giants scored the try of the game three minutes later.

A superb blindside break from Luke George made it possible, creating the chance for winger Symon Sutherland to race clear, sell an outrageous dummy and race in under the posts to make it 14-6 at the break.

In the second half it was all Salford, but all they had to show for their dominance was one converted try by Martin Lewis in the 65th minute.

That guaranteed a nail-biting finale to an absorbing contest, with the Giants hanging on in the most dramatic fashion.