Super League: Huddersfield Giants 18-19 Warrington Wolves - Wire win
- Published
Ben Currie scored the first of Warrington's tries against Huddersfield
Betfred Super League |
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Huddersfield (8) 18 |
Tries: Ta'ai, McGillvary, Russell Goals: Sezer 2, Russell |
Warrington (8) 19 |
Tries: Currie, Widdop, Lineham Goals: Ratchford 3 Drop-goal: Austin |
Blake Austin's late drop-goal secured victory over spirited Huddersfield and moved Warrington Wolves level on points at the top of Super League.
Austin stepped up after Oliver Russell had levelled with a converted try for the Giants with three minutes left.
It was a see-saw encounter which was 8-8 at half-time, after Ukuma Ta'ai and Ben Currie traded tries.
Tom Lineham and Gareth Widdop also crossed for Warrington, with Jermaine McGillvary adding the other Giants try.
Steve Price's Wire, who have joined Catalans and Wigan at the summit, were pushed all the way by Huddersfield, who lost Matty English, Ta'ai and Aidan Sezer to injury during the game and were already without key playmaker Lee Gaskell.
It was also the second game running that Simon Woolford's team have lost by just one point, having been pegged back by Leeds from 26-6 up in their last run-out to lose in golden-point extra-time.
There will be some concern for the Wolves, despite a fourth straight win, after Ben Murdoch-Masila was sin-binned for the tackle which led to English being withdrawn on a stretcher.
When Warrington were good, they were superb, with Lineham's score on the back of slick hands a prime example.
However, they allowed a injury-hit Giants to play some of their own fine football to expose gaps close to the line, notably through Ta'ai and Russell's try.
Sezer, who was withdrawn with a tight hamstring, put on a perfect looping pass for McGillvary to show his talent and keeping him fit will be a priority for the West Yorkshire club.
The return of former England centre Leroy Cudjoe was one plus for Huddersfield, as he made his first appearance since August 2018 with a series of troublesome knee injuries, and created Russell's score with a neat one-handed offload.
Huddersfield: Golding; McGillvary, Cudjoe, J Wardle, McIntosh; Holmes, Sezer; English, O'Brien, Matagi, Edwards, Ta'ai, Lawrence.
Interchanges: Russell, Hewitt, Wood, Walne.
Warrington: Ratchford; Lineham, Mamo, King, Charnley; Austin, Widdop; Hill, D Clark, Cooper, Currie, Murdoch-Masila, Hughes.
Interchanges: J Clark, Philbin, Akauola, Walker.