Warrington 26-24 Huddersfield: Wolves bring down Giants

Warrington 26-24 Huddersfield: Match Stats

Warrington tries: Livett (3), Clark (12), Gidley (35), Evans (65), King (69)  
Conversions/Penalties:  Patton (12,35,69) 

Castleford tries:  McIntosh (6), Mamo (17), Brough (47), McGillvary (79
Conversions/Penalties:  Brough (17,26,47,60) 

Match report

Warrington's Super League revival continued as they claimed their third successive win after hanging on for a dramatic hard-fought victory over Huddersfield Giants.

The resurgent Wolves are unbeaten in their last four games now and moved out of the bottom two of Super League and leapfrogged the Giants as a result of the 26-24 success.

Warrington trailed 20-16 on the hour at the Halliwell Jones Stadium but two tries in three minutes from Rhys Evans and Toby King looked to have settled a tense encounter.

In a dramatic finale, Giants winger Jermaine McGillvary crossed in the corner as the hooter sounded - but Danny Brough was inches wide with his touchline conversion attempt in a bid to claim a draw.

Harvey Livett, Kurt Gidley and Daryl Clark also crossed for Warrington, with Declan Patton landing three goals.

Half-back Brough was the key figure for the Giants as he scored a try and landed four goals but it was not enough to prevent their slide down the table. McGillvary, Jake Mamo and Darnell McIntosh crossed but Huddersfield have now failed to win in eight games.

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Ryan Atkins and Matty Russell both missed out for the Wolves after picking up injuries in Thursday's victory over Widnes, but they did welcome Clark and Mike Cooper back to the starting line-up.

Tom Symonds was added to Huddersfield's lengthy injury list following the defeat at home to Catalans Dragons, with Oliver Roberts taking his place in the second row and Tyler Dickinson drafted in for a bench spot.

Warrington were quickest out of the blocks and were ahead after just two minutes when, on their first attack, centre Livett scooped up a wayward Patton pass and stepped inside the Giants cover for his first Super League try.

Wolves hooker Clark was then placed on report for a late challenge on Lee Gaskell which saw the Giants half-back forced to leave the field for a short spell.

The visitors were soon level when some fine handling between Brough and Mamo allowed McIntosh to squeeze over in the corner.

In a bright opening by both sides Warrington regained the lead when Clark's midfield break was continued by Gidley and the Australian half-back returned the pass to the Wolves hooker, who shrugged off some poor attempted cover tackles to score under the posts. Patton converted.

Six minutes later the Giants were level again, this time Kruise Leeming making a fine midfield break and Mamo was in support to take the pass and score his second try in two games.

Brough landed the conversion and then added a penalty to edge the visitors in front at 12-10.

However, Warrington finished the half the stronger and when the Giants were pinged for successive penalties they took full advantage as Gidley crashed over and Patton converted.

Huddersfield did well to keep the margin at four points at the interval as Mamo came up with a fantastic try-saving tackle to deny Benjamin Jullien and Brad Dwyer saw a long-range drop goal attempt just fade wide with the last kick of the half.

Seven minutes after the restart the Giants took full advantage of a 40-20 kick by Brough which set up the position, from which the half-back grabbed a cheeky try straight from dummy half.

Brough added the conversion to edge the Giants back in front and stretched the lead to 20-16 with a penalty on the hour mark.

Two tries in three minutes looked to have settled the game as firstly Evans dived over in the corner, then King managed to collect Patton's crossfield kick to touch down.

However, in an amazing finale King then lost possession on his own line and in the last play of the game McGillvary managed to score in the corner - but Brough's touchline effort to claim a share of the spoils slipped wide. 

Match reaction

Huddersfield coach Rick Stone on Danny Brough firing inches wide with a dramatic last-gasp touchline conversion attempt: "It was a toss of the coin sort of kick from the touchline, probably on Danny's right side being a left-footer. He had one in the first half which he struck a fraction left and this one went a bit right - but there's no dramas.

"We are not getting a lot of luck or 50-50 decisions and it tends to happen when you are not winning games. You have to make your own luck and be energised and be in a position where hopefully we are going to get the rub of the green because in the last couple of weeks we've not had too much.

"There were times in the game when we were a bit soft in the middle and the Wolves rolled us down the field but I'm proud of the boys' efforts. Whether we would have deserved a point I'm not sure but it would have been nice.

"These short turnarounds are not easy and we probably had the better one than anyone in the competition from Wednesday till Monday. But we just looked tired and lacked a bit of zip at times but we competed well and asked some questions - but were just not quite there. I'm disappointed like you are after every loss but we gave ourselves a chance and just didn't manage that last 30 minutes as well as we would have liked."

Warrington coach Tony Smith on his side's "gutsy" effort: "It was ugly but it was two points. It wasn't the prettiest of games by a long shot but we hung on. It's been a while I would suggest since we won both our games over Easter so - because of where we are placed in the table - it was probably important to pick up the two points.

"In terms of performance it was very much a second-game-over-Easter performance from both teams. The big men looked tired today and came up with some stuff they normally don't come up with. There were mistakes made out there by everybody and I've got to put that down to fatigue.

"But it was gutsy and we are digging in for one another at the moment which is a good sign and the character and spirit are there."