17 May 2021

Giants beat Warrington in thriller

Huddersfield Giants 26-20 Warrington Wolves

Huddersfield Giants (20) 26

Tries: Gaskell (2), McGillvary, Edwards

Goals: Sezer (5)

Drop-Goals: 

Warrington Wolves (0) 20

Tries: Inglis, Clark, Thewlis

Goals: Widdop (4)

Drop-Goals: 

Huddersfield Giants: Gaskell; McGillvary, Wardle, Leutele, McIntosh; Sezer, Cogger; Lawrence, Cunningham, Greenwood; Jones, Edwards; Yates

Interchange: O'Brien, Trout, English, McQueen

Warrington Wolves: Ratchford; Thewlis, Inglis, Mamo, Charnley; Austin, Widdop; Hill, Clark, Cooper; Currie, King; Clark 

Interchange: Philbin, Mulhern, Davis, Akauola

Huddersfield Giants

The Giants got off to a great start courtesy of a great break engineered by Ricky Leutele, assisted by Darnell McIntosh and finished by Lee Gaskell after just 3 minutes of the game. Aidan Sezer converted 5 metre inside the touchline to give the Giants an early 6-0 lead. 

Huddersfield would be in dreamland a few minutes later courtesy of Gaskell again, this time creating the opportunity himself after a swift move on the right-hand side. Sezer landed the conversion again, and the Giants had a 12-0 lead after a quite fantastic opening 11 minutes. 

The Wolves would see more of the ball in the second quarter, and would force the Giants to a repeat sets and tackles on their own line. They would see off an attempt by Josh Thewlis in the far corner, and the Giants went into the final 15 minutes of the half in good confidence. 

After a period of pressure from the hosts, the Giants would score again with three minutes to play in the opening stanza, this time courtesy of Jermaine McGillvary, with Sezer once again converting. Sezer would add an extra two points from the boot as the buzzer sounded, to give the Giants a quite incredible 20-0 lead at the break. 

The Wolves started the opening minutes of the second half on the front foot, forcing a Goal Line Drop Out early on after the break. They would crash over despite a hearty defensive effort from the Giants edge to get the first try of the second half, with Greg Inglis crossing the whitewash and Gareth Widdop providing the extras. 

Warrington would pile the pressure after Inglis' try, as they force yet another drop out as Lee Gaskell's kick return was stopped in its tracks by the Wire welcoming party. A turnover early in the set would allow the Giants to break out of their own half however. 

Warrington would cross over again after the Giants conceded a penalty 10 metres out from the Wire try-line, and Daryl Clark would cross over to cut the Giants lead to ten, Widdop converting once again to make the scores 20-12 with 28 left of the clock. 

Widdop would reduce the arrears down to six points a few minutes later courtesy of a penalty. In the 60th minute that deficit was reduced to two as Josh Thewlis crossed over on the far hand side. Widdop however couldn't make the conversion and the gap remained at 2 points with just under 19 minutes remaining. 

The Giants brought themselves back into the game courtesy of a penalty on Kenny Edwards which relieved nearly 20 minutes of Warrington pressure, they would take full advantage, however, as Edwards would cross over with 12 minutes left of the game to restore a six point advantage to the Claret & Gold. 

The Wolves thought they had got the opportunity to level the game once again with 6 minutes on the clock, however the Video Referee ruled that there was a knock-on in the build up. The Giants would quickly receive a relieving penalty and were able to progress the ball up the field, working their way to their first Goal Line Drop Out of the game. 

From the repeat set the Giants looked to drop a goal to stretch the lead to 7 with 3 on the clock, but a foul on Lee Gaskell set up Aidan Sezer to kick two from the boot instead, which was dispatched successfully leaving just two minutes left in the game. After winning back the short kick off, the Giants were facing defending for the final 120 seconds of the game.

The Giants would concede a penalty in that set, and Widdop chose to reduce the deficit to six points with one set probably remaining in the game. They would get the ball back and set up an nervy final few plays, but the Giants would see out the game and take the two points back to Yorkshire. 

Partners

Partner
Partner
Partner
Partner
Partner
Partner
Partner
Partner
Partner
Partner
Partner
Partner
Partner
Partner
Partner
Partner
Partner
Partner
Partner
Partner
Partner
Partner
Partner
Partner
Partner
Partner
Partner
Partner
Partner
Partner
Partner
Partner
Partner
Partner
Partner
Partner
Partner
Partner