HUDDERSFIELD made it three wins out of three after this victory over Cumbrian visitors Penrith – but not before they made their supporters sweat after losing the plot in a hectic last quarter.

Having eased into a 24-9 lead and with the North I match seemingly sewn up, Huddersfield went to sleep in a disastrous 10-minute spell, which could so easily have cost them the game.

Having given Penrith a nine-point start, courtesy of two penalties and a 35-yard drop goal from fly-half Steve Wood, Huddersfield got back into the contest with two penalties and a close-range drop goal from their fly-half Chris Johnson to leave the scores locked at 9-9 at the interval.

Manchester referee John Ibbotson was particularly keen on non-release in the tackle, which cost Field dear, and could have been worse had Wood not pushed two penalty attempts wide, but the home side were definitely playing the better open rugby, and but for a couple of harsh calls, could have maybe gone into the break leading.

Seventeen-year-old Ollie Scrimshaw replaced hamstring victim Damian Clayton to start the second half, with Lee Paxman moving to scrum half and Aussie full-back Rob McLaren moving up into the centres, and it wasn’t long before Huddersfield took the lead, when Johnson stuck his third successive penalty through the middle.

A good run and chase inside Penrith’s 10 metres was halted when Huddersfield were adjudged to have pulled back the defender, but the build-up of pressure finally told in the 47th minute when McLaren took a short pass close to the line and plunge over for the first try of the game, Johnson adding the conversion to open up a 10-point advantage.

Johnson then struck the left upright with a penalty from a wide angle as the home side began to really get on top, while a break from Hamish Pratt broke down when prop Tony Stringwell’s pass failed to find a Huddersfield hand.

And the game looked to be as good as settled when Field’s huge centre James Mortimore finished off good work from Johnson and Paxman to cross for the home side’s second try on 63 minutes.

Johnson missed his first conversion attempt of the afternoon, but at 24-9 the job looked as good as done.

But within two minutes, problems arose.

A high kick out of defence resulted in two Huddersfield players going after the ball, both missed it and Penrith full-back Phil Fell raced down the left flank leaving young Scrimshaw stranded, and although Johnson pulled off a try-saving tackle, when the ball was worked quickly across field, prop Guy Simpson bundled one tackler out of the way and charged over.

Wood added the extras and Penrith immediately felt they were back in with a shout.

And six minutes later they were as the visitors piled in down the middle and worked the ball out left, where Paxman failed to hold Wood, who hoisted a long ball out to winger Dan White to cross unopposed.

Wood’s conversion made it a one-point game, and suddenly it was all to play for.

With five minutes remaining, Penrith were pulled up for offside and Johnson stepped up to sweetly knock over a 45-yard penalty to give Huddersfield some breathing space, and although the visitors finished the stronger – Mark Whitehead diffusing one dangerous situation with a strong run – Huddersfield claimed the winning points to maintain their 100% record.

Huddersfield: McLaren; Swift, Paxman, Mortimore, Shaw; Johnson, Clayton (Scrimshaw 41); McPhail (Pollock 69), Gough, Stringwell, Pratt, Rhodes, Hinchliff (Harris 60), Whitehead, Sowerby.

Penrith: Fell, Hetherington, Armstrong, Young, White; Wood, Swale, Simpson, Jali, Harris, Dawson, Lowes, Stephens, Lewis, Raine. Subs: Wilson, Dawson, Fell.

Referee: John Ibbotson (Manchester).