Round-up: Academy win, Reserves fall short

Giants Under 18s were victorious while the Reserves suffered their first loss of the 2020 Season on Sunday against St Helens.

Under 18s collect tight opening day win

Huddersfield Giants kicked off their Academy season with a win as they edged our St Helens at Ruskin Drive to win 12-10 in a mirror of the first team result two days prior.

Fenton Rogers opened the scoring for the Giants, collecting the ball 10 metres out to crash over underneath the sticks in the 3rd minute, with Sean Slater converting to make the scores 6-0 ealy on in the game. Three minutes later, the Saints hit back through Ellis Keppel, but the hosts were unable to convert, keeping a two point advantage to the Giants. 

The Giants went over again in the 10th minute, with James Johnson collecting the ball 20 metres out before dancing his way through the Saints defence on his way to touching down. Slater missed the conversion however making the scores 10-4 with 70 to play. 

The third try came 10 minutes prior to half-time. Reece Sumner collected a short pass to reduce the deficit to two, before Taylor Pemberton nailed the extras to level the scores. At the half, the sides were level at 10-10. 

The second half was a tense affair with no tries from either side, until the 75th minute, when a penalty call saw the Giants with an opportunity to win the game after a whistle for dissent. Will Pryce dispatched the penalty to give the Giants an opening day win in the 2020 Academy Season. 

Match Summary

Saints Team – Jonathan Bennison, Ellis Keppel, Rio Corkill, Owen Blackwood, Harvey McDaid, Taylor Pemberton, Daniel Moss, Jamie Pye, Keenan McDaid, Harry Brooks, Ben O’Donnell, Reece Sumner, Lewis Baxter.

Interchanges – Ethan Bradbury, Joe Woods, Owen Appleby, Zack Lee.

Tries – Ellis Keppel (6), Reece Summer (31).

Conversions – Taylor Pemberton (1 from 2).

Huddersfield Team – Aidan McGowan, Connor Carr, Joseph Howe, James Johnson, Oliver Peterkin, William Pryce, Kobe Poching, Robson Stevens, Sean Slater, Ben Killan, Lewis Laing, Marcus Garley, Fenton Rodgers.

Interchanges – Kieran Rush, Jacob Beer, Max Hindle, Alfie Schultz.

Tries – Fenton Rodgers (3), James Johnson (10).

Conversions – Sean Slater (1 from 2), William Pryce (1 from 1).

Reserves fall short in top of the table clash

A much rotated Huddersfield Giants Reserves side lost 48-6 to St Helens Reserves in a testing day for Steve Fox's men. The hosts touched down first in the 10th minute, scoring left of the posts and adding the extras to set the tone for the rest of the afternoon. 

They scored 12 points in 3 minutes, twice crashing through the uprights, punctuated by successful conversions on both accounts. After an even period when the Giants attempted to wrestle into the match, they couldn't break the Saints defence and went into the shed at the half 18-0 down. 

A clean break saw the Saints get the first points of the second half, before another score to the right of the sticks this time saw the Giants 30-0 down after 48 minutes. 

Huddersfield got on the board, with Jon Luke Kirby, named in the squad for this week's Challenge Cup tie against Toronto Wolfpack on Wednesday night, crossing over for a try converted by Jordan Paga. 

But the Saints cruised to victory with three tries in the final quarter, leading to a difficult 48-6 loss and much to learn from the Reserves first defeat of the Season.