Wolves just too strong for Giants
WOOLFORD’S MEN STILL LOOKING FOR FIRST WIN OF SEASON AS LEADERS WARRINGTON RUN IN SIX TRIES
HUDDERSFIELD Giants’ search for their first Super League points continues after falling to a defeat at home to league leaders Warrington Wolves.
A game played at full-pace from both sides was settled by braces from Josh Charnley and Ryan Atkins as well as relentless pressure from the visitors that was ultimately too much for the Giants defence to handle.
The wide-men were particularly successful on a cold night at the John Smith’s Stadium with Jermaine McGillvary and Akuila Uate scoring for Simon Woolford’s men.
The opening stages were a well-fought affair with both sides regularly finishing sets and being denied any chance for creativity by regular solid defensive work.
It was Warrington who opened the scoring when Atkins capitalised on a spilled kick to score his first of the season with Stefan Ratchford adding the conversion.
Charnley soon extended the Wolves’ lead to 10 points as, despite having numerous Giants defenders surrounding him, he managed to crash over the line on the right wing.
Giants struggled to gain control of the game throughout the first half and a series of penalties close to their own line cost them two points as Ratchford added a penalty for Wolves.
Huddersfield’s first really threatening moment came 30 minutes into the first half as they forced Warrington into two consecutive drop-outs.
The pressure resulted in nothing for Giants, however, and they were punished seven minutes before half-time as Charnley scooped up a low-pass to score his second of the game.
However, back came Giants through McGillvary, who pounced on a rolling ball to score in the corner for his first try of 2019, having returned from a hamstring injury picked up in pre-season.
Giants almost scored right on the halftime hooter after a break from Alex Mellor, but a last-ditch tackle saved Warrington and the visitors went into half-time 16-4 ahead.
Huddersfield, with renewed optimism in the early stages of the second period, cut the deficit to just six points as Matty English barrelled his way over the line to score the Giants’ second.
Lee Gaskell also scored his first points of the season as his conversion sailed through the middle of the posts.
Shortly after, Adam Walne was shown a yellow card by referee James Child for a high-tackle however, the resulting penalty was missed by Ratchford.
It did not take long for the numerical advantage to benefit Warrington as Atkins sailed higher than the Giants defence to collect a cross-field kick and touch down for his second of the game.
This time, Ratchford made no mistake with the conversion to put Wolves 12 points ahead once again.
Despite being down a man, Giants held their own defensively and kept within two scores of the visitors until midway through the half when Blake Austin went over for the visitors.
He exploited an overlap on the Warrington left and threw a dummy to score unchallenged to the left of the posts.
Wolves then nudged past the 30-point mark through Ben Murdoch-Masil.
Jordan Turner and Uate then replied for Giants on 75 and 79 minutes respectively but, they were little more than consolation as Huddersfield remain bottom of the Super League table.