Giants overcome Centurions to reach Quarter Final

Huddersfield Giants 36-18 Leigh Centurions

Huddersfield Giants 36 (20)

Tries: Edwards, Wood 2, McGillvary 3, Gaskell 

Goals: Wardle (4/6)

Leigh Centurions 16 (6)

Tries: Thompson 2, Peats 

Goals: Reynolds (3/3)

Huddersfield Giants produced their first win of 2021, beating Leigh Centurions 36-18 to advance to the next stage of the Challenge Cup. 

The Giants welcomed Jack Ashworth back into starting line-up, while Jack Cogger and Lee Gaskell once again partnered in the halves for the Claret and Gold. The Centurions gave a debut to Ben Flower, once of Wigan Warriors fame, into their starting line-up. 

Huddersfield started the better of the two sides with quick early tries courtesy of Kenny Edwards and Sam Wood, converted by Jake Wardle to give the Giants at lead of 12-0 after 15 minutes. Wardle increased the lead from the spot in the 19th minute, before just 3 minutes later, Jermaine McGillvary finished off a well-worked move to increase the lead to 18-0, but Wardle was unsuccessful this time in adding the extras. 

Jordan Thompson would get the first score for the hosts a few minutes before the half-time hooter, before Jake Wardle scored from the tee again to give the Giants a 20-6 lead at the half-time break, but not before Luke Yates saw 10 minutes in the sin bin for a late tackle.

The Giants started well after the break, with second tries for both Jermaine McGillvary and Sam Wood increasing the Giants lead to 22 points after 54 minutes, seemingly an unassailable lead. 

But the hosts would storm back with two quick tries that set up a nervous finish for the Giants, but a sin bin for Adam Sidlow for a late hit on Owen Trout took the wind out of their sails and the Giants would take full advantage with tries for Jermaine McGillvary, completing his hat-trick, and Lee Gaskell to seal the win and set up a Quarter Final match up with St Helens on the weekend of May 7th.