7 Jun 2019

GIANTS LOSE IN GOLDEN POINT THRILLER

Huddersfield Giants 26-27 Castleford Tigers

The heavy continuous rain starting at 1.00pm had only abated slightly by kick off time 7.45pm as the Giants travelled the short trip to the Mend-a-Hose Jungle for the west Yorkshire derby against the Castleford Tigers looking for a third successive Super League victory to move them up the Super League table.

The Tigers enjoyed the bulk of early possession and field position with the Giants conceding penalties resulting in 2 penalty goals to Pete Mata’utia. Handling errors did not help their cause but defence was generally sound and eventually momentum switched to the Giants and in their first meaningful attack a flowing attack saw Lee Gaskell cut cleverly through the Tigers defence for a try to the right of the posts on 28 minutes with Oliver adding the extras to give the Giants a 2 point lead.

4 minutes later the Giants repeated the process with the same individuals involved to stretch the lead to 8 points but 2 minutes before the half time hooter the Giants conceded a penalty and the Tigers took full advantage with a try in the right hand corner to Minikin, Mata’utia adding the touchline conversion. Although the Giants restart kick went out on the full resulting in a goal line drop out being conceded the defence held out and half time came with no further scores and the Giants going in 2 points to the good but discipline needing to be addressed strongly in the second half.

The Giants started the second half in the ascendancy, a high kick being spilled by the Tigers and Jermaine McGillvary knocking on in the act of touching down wide out on the right. A couple of penalties kept up the pressure and a goal line drop out was forced but the Tigers defence could not be breached and when the Giants were penalised for a high tackle Mata’utia landed a penalty goal to level the scores.

The score did not remain level for long as Darnell McIntosh broke through and excellent passing and support play put Lee Gaskell through for a quality try, his hat trick score of the evening. Oliver Russell added the extras with 57 minutes gone. A Giants handling error handed momentum back to the Tigers and Liam Watts forced his way over for a try by the posts Mata’utia kicking the conversion and the scores were level again with 64 minutes gone.

2 minutes later another penalty conceded by the Giants gave Mata’utia the chance to put the Tigers back in the lead but as the game ebbed and flowed on 70 minutes a Giants penalty gave Oliver Russell the chance to level again with a penalty goal. With 2 minutes left an Oliver Russell 40/20 gave the Giants field position and Russell’s pass to Joe Wardle on the left gave him the chance to force his way over Russell’s conversion putting the Giants 6 points to the good.

They could not though hold on and a last attack by the Tigers saw the ball grubber kicked to the Giants ingoal area and Millington touching down, Mata’uita’s conversion levelling the scores with the hooter sounding. Under the new regulations for this season 10 minutes extra time was now to be played , 5 minutes each way with the first score to decide the result. In the 7th minute of extra time a Pete Mata’utia drop goal sealed the result for the Tigers. Discipline had lost the game for the Giants in a game which they should have won.

It had been an exciting match with each side having spells on attack and the result decide for the first time for the Giants by the golden point goal. Better discipline would have ensured a Giants victory and no extra time. A salutary lesson then for the Giants who have another tough encounter next time out at St Helens Friday 14 June kick off 7.45pm.

Teams:

Castleford Tigers: Pete Mata’utia; James Clare, Greg Minikin, Cheyae Blair, Greg Eden; Jordan Rankin, Jake Trueman; Liam Watts, Paul McShane, Daniel Smith, Chris Clarkson, Mike McMeeken, Nathan Massey

Interchanges: Grant Millington, Adam Milner, Matt Cook, Mitch Clark

Huddersfield Giants: Darnell McIntosh; Jermaine McGillvary, Jordan Turner, Jacob Wardle, Innes Senior; Lee Gaskell, Oliver Russell; Matthew English, Adam O’Brien, Suaia Matagi, Joe Wardle, Alex Mellor, Aaron Murphy

Interchanges: Kruise Leeming, Paul Clough, Michael Lawrence, Ukuma Ta’ai

Referee: B Thaler

Half time score: Castleford Tigers 10 Giants 12

Full time score: Castleford Tigers 27 Giants 26

Scorers: Castleford Tigers: Tries: Minikin, Watts, Millington

Goals: Mata’utia (7)

Drop Goal: Mata’utia

GIants: Tries: Gaskell (3 ), Joe Wardle

Goals: Russell ( 5)

Giants Man of the Match: Lee Gaskell

Penalties conceded: Castleford Tigers 9 Giants 9

Goal line Drop outs conceded : Castleford Tigers 1 Giants 2