14 Jun 2019

GIANTS LOSE TO LEAGUE LEADERS

Huddersfield Giants 2-38 St Helens

Academy player Dominic Young made his first team debut in the absence of the injured Jermaine McGillvary and Sam Hewitt replaced the injured Joe Wardle with Matt Frawley coming in for Kruise Leeming for the trip to the Totally Wicked Stadium St Helens to take on the League leaders on a damp evening after 2 days almost continual rainfall.

The Giants started with a flourish, Oliver Russell kicking a penalty goal on 2 minutes when the Saints were penalised at a tackle. The Saints though soon got into their stride and on 15 minutes took the lead. A break down the centre split the Giants defence Lachlan Coote getting the touchdown by the posts and also adding the conversion with 12 minutes.

4 minutes later the Giants defence was breached down the left and Jonny Lomax got the try with Lachlan Coote again adding the extras and when the Giants made an error 40 metres out swift passing to the right and a cut out pass put Tommy Makinson over, Coote missing the conversion. When the Giants eventually had a spell on attack a goal line drop out was forced but the ball was spilled in a tackle and the chance gone.

On 28 minutes the Giants defence was breached again, and Theo Fages touched down, the goal kick failing but 3 minutes later Tommy Makinson went in for his second try of the evening in the right corner Lachlan Coote adding a touchline conversion to give his side a 24 point lead. Just before the half time hooter Oliver Russell had to leave the field for a head assessment.

It had been a difficult first 40 minutes for the Giants who had struggled to contain the pace and power of the Saints attacks who had shown why they currently stand at the top of the Super League rankings.

The Giants were much more competitive at the start of the second half but could not break the Saints defence and eventually on 53 minutes a Giants error gave possession to the Saints who took full advantage with a Tommy Makinson try followed almost immediately by a Jonny Lomax touchdown by the posts, both tries being converted by Lachlan Coote. There were no further scores and the Giants were left to regroup and prepare for the next Super League encounter against Wigan Warriors at the John Smiths Stadium Friday 21 June kick off 7.45pm.

Teams

St Helens: Coote; Makinson, Naiqama, Percival, Swift; Lomax, Fages; Walmsley, Smith, Thompson, Taia, Knowles, Paulo

Interchanges: McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Amor, Ashworth, Bentley

Giants: McIntosh; Young, Turner, Jake Wardle, Innes Senior; Gaskell. Russell; Matagi, O’Brien, English, Hewitt, Mellor, Murphy

Interchanges: Frawley, Lawrence, Ta’ai, Clough

Half time score: St Helens 26 Giants 2

Full time score: St Helens 38 Giants 2

Scorers

St Helens: Tries: Coote, Makinson (3), Lomax (2), Fages

Goals: Coote (5)

Giants: Goal : Russell

Giants Man of the Match: Lee Gaskell