PART-TIME STRUGGLERS KNOCK SORRY HUDDERSFIELD OUT OF CUP

seemed to be doing enough to hold their rivals at bay.

But in the second half the fulltime Super League side failed to shake off their lower division rivals, when you would have thought fully-professional status might have seen them run away with the game, and paid the price for never shaking off their dogged and determined rivals.

However, from a Giants perspective it was perplexing that in attack they never truly showed enough impact and penetration to kill off the Lions, and in defence were never diligent enough to deny a persistent if unspectacular Swinton offence.

The Giants were without around 10 first-choice players – Izaac Farrell, Matty English and Adam O’Brien all made their competitive first team debuts – and Stone said: “It wasn’t good. It probably gives an indication of where our squad are at the moment.

“The depth and number of players out of the team at the moment hurt us a bit.

“I have no worries about the boys who were out there.

“They tried but the opposition came and challenged and were hungry and deserved their win.

“The Championship is full of hardened pros who have been around the block and know to win games, and we saw a bit of that today.

“There’s no denying that is a massive blow for us and everyone is very disappointed – you can feel it.

“There were a few senior players out and a few long-term injuries and those with niggles, but we had a good enough team out to win but we didn’t.”

Aaron Murphy gave the Giants an ideal start with a converted try after only seven minutes but the Lions hit back through scores from Shaun Robinson and Rhodri Lloyd to lead 10-6.

Sam Wood and Darnell McIntosh then crossed to put the home side into a seemingly comfortable 18-10 advantage.

However, further Swinton tries from Michael Butt and Connor Dwyer, either side of the break, gave Swinton the first sniff of a