Warriors 16 Giants 18
Tempers fray at the DW Stadium
WARRIORS fans must wait at least another week for their team to get another crack at securing the League Leaders Shield.
Last night Huddersfield rode into town and charged off with the points after a frantic second half saw them nick an unlikely victory, and with it went the hopes – temporarily at least – of the hosts’ minor Premiership glory.
There was some drama just half-an-hour before kick-off when news reached the press box of a change to the printed Warriors teamsheet.
Wing-man Darrell Goulding appeared to have tweaked something in the warm-up, so in stepped Karl Pryce for an unexpected call-up.
Other than that there was only one change to the Warriors starting line-up which performed so well in their last outing two weekends earlier in the victory at Leeds.
Martin Gleeson was out following his hernia operation, so in as his deputy at centre was talented teenager Stefan Marsh, making just his third senior start.
The fluency paraded so effectively during that Headingley victory 16 days earlier wasn’t as much in evidence in the first half last night, but still the Warriors went in at the interval with a seemingly comfortable 10 points to nil lead.
Early enterprise was very much there for all to see, but a little too often questionable handling hindered the home side’s progress.
On top of that the Giants were in determined mood, and were clearly focused on any league leaders party the Warriors fans were intent on enjoying.
It only took six minutes for the Warriors to register a score, however.
Paul Deacon’s crossfield kick found Pat Richards, and he played in Pryce who raced in at the corner to get his unanticipated appearance off to a flying start.
Richards missed with his kick from wide out, but Warriors were well on top in the early stages and it was already looking for the Giants.
The game livened up in a flash just after the 15-minute mark, with three yellow cards brandished by referee Mr Bentham inside 60 seconds.
Firstly Giants’ stand-off Kevin Brown chopped down Sam Tomkins and was sent to take a break for 10 minutes, before an almighty flare-up soon followed to have fans all around the stadium on their feet.
Stuart Fielden appeared to exchange words with Graeme Horne initially at a quick-tap, but Giants prop Keith Mason also took exception and he raced over to Fielden before all hell broke loose.
After the flashpoint died down it was Fielden and Mason who were ordered to the touchline for a break, but it was the visitors who appeared to have been revved up the most.
Twice they went close as wide-man David Hodgson was thwarted close to the line by Pryce and then Thomas Leuluai, but the Warriors responded perfectly by stretching their lead five minutes before the break.
Another mighty kick from Deacon found Richards who couldn’t collect, but Joel Tomkins nipped round the back to score an excellent try in the corner.
Richards converted this time, and the Warriors were on their way.
There was little to set the pulses racing in the opening eight minutes of the second period as both teams cancelled one another out, but at that point Fielden and Mason renewed hostilities as both got to grips again.
However, credit to Mr Bentham on this occasion as he stopped play and had another cautionary word.
The Warriors thought they had stretched their lead in the 52nd minute after Sam Tomkins looked to have touched down a smart kick to the corner from Sean O’Loughlin, but the TV replays decreed otherwise so it was time to go again.
It was time to go for he Giants, as within minutes they closed the gap with their first score of the night.
Michael Lawrence threw in a low pass from the right, the ball just evaded Fielden, allowing centre Leroy Cudjoe to sneak in and present an easy conversion chance to Brett Hodgson.
At 10-6 it was very much ‘game on’ again, particularly so with 20 minutes left when the Giants evened it up as scrum-half Luke Robinson pounced on a loose ball before scooting in at the corner.
Brett Hodgson’s sweetly-struck conversion handed the visitors a shock lead, and now time was beginning to run out for Michael Maguire’s men.
Or was it? Five minutes later Sam Tomkins swooped on an error by Lawrence before sprinting from inside his own half to touch down between the posts, and the DW Stadium roof was raised.
Richards bagged the extras and now the Warriors led 16-12.
Another amazing twist followed as Cudjoe scored again for the Giants after latching neatly onto Danny Brough’s grubber kick, and when Brett Hodgson’s conversion sailed over the lead changed hands again.
The Warriors faithful did their bit in trying to rally their troops, but a couple of crucial handling errors proved costly late on and the gutsy Giants it was who emerged victorious.
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Weather for Wigan
Saturday 04 February 2012
Today
Light snow
Temperature: -1 C to 2 C
Wind Speed: 18 mph
Wind direction: South
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Cloudy
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