Injury-hit Huddersfield Giants put up a spirited show but gave themselves a little too much to do in a 40-28 home defeat by Castleford Tigers.
The damage was done in the first half when Castleford showed their top-six prowess with five tries, but the depleted Giants - who had Jordan Turner in the sin bin - did not throw in the towel and ran the Tigers very close.
A few handling errors didn’t help their cause, but in the second half, in fact, the battling Giants won 22-12.
That was the result of a half-time rollicking from interim head coach Chris Thorman, who was very frustrated he had to read the riot act.
Lee Gaskell made his return in the continued absence of Danny Brough (foot).
Oliver Roberts (foot) was also back on the bench while Thorman fielded twins Louis and Innes Senior, playing together for the Giants for the first time.
Castleford meanwhile had former Giants players Greg Eden and Joe Wardle back, there was no Luke Gale in their line-up because of an ankle injury.
There was an encouraging early carry from Innes Senior but then a Giants mistake by Jared Simpson, robbed of possession, led to the opening score for the visitors.
After initially being held up, a Ben Roberts kick through gave Paul McShane chance to touch down and Jamie Ellis added the extras.
The Giants responded well, with Daniel Smith held up over the line, but another mistake, this time by Ukuma Ta’ai in the 11th minute, led to a penalty which Cas made the most of.
Running the ball strongly, they eventually worked it out smartly to the right for Greg Minikin to slide over, and Ellis landed a superb conversion from the touchline.
Castleford extended the lead on 26 minutes following another strong raid, McShane eventually prodding the ball under the posts on the last tackle for Foster to dive in and score. Ellis landed the easiest of kicks.
It got worse for the Giants with Dale Ferguson limping off and, after the re-start, Jordan Turner being sent to the sin-bin following a team warning from referee Ben Thaler.
It didn’t take Cas long to rub salt in the wound, Jake Webster charging through the cover defence on 33 minutes to score try number four.
Surprisingly, Ellis missed the kick.
Despite the scoreline, the Giants showed commendable spirit and they were rewarded with a try on the left edge after some considered build-up play - Gaskell feeding Ta’ai for the score.
Jordan Rankin further lifted spirits by curling in the conversion.
.There was still time, however, for Eden to show his blistering pace when running in the next try from 40 metres and, when Ellis added the kick, it was 28-6 to Cas at the break.
The Giants made the perfect start to the second half, following quick thinking and an excellent break through the centre by Rankin.
After Ta’ai had been held, the chance was created for Smith to power over, and Rankin easily added two more points.
With the help of some surging runs from the forwards – Matty English catching the eye – the Giants to their third try on 59 minutes and it was a special moment for Innes Senior on the left wing with his debut Super League score, diving past the scurrying Castleford cover.
While Rankin failed to add the extras, it was a lift the Giants needed after losing Ta’ai to an injury moments earlier.
The Giants defended well to keep out Adam Milner, but from yet another penalty, Ellis got the visitors first points of the half with 15 minutes left.
Milner was sin-binned with 14 minutes left for a flare-up when Adam O’Brien was trying to play the ball, and the Giants made them pay with a sweeping attack to the left, Innes Senior again diving in for the try and Rankin added a great kick from wide on the left.
The Giants were getting within touching distance, so it was a shame when, on the last tackle, Foster got his second try with seven minutes left and Ellis underlined his accuracy from the tee.
Much to the delight of a crowd of 5,946, the Giants responded immediately, Gaskell feeding Shannon Wakeman for a barnstorming finish.
They were back within eight points when Rankin added the kick, but the clock was against them and Michael Shenton’s last-minute try took Castleford to a 40-28 win, Ellis missing the conversion.
The second-half performance from the Giants, however, gives them something to build on for Salford at home next Sunday.
